Lufthansa to buy 102 Airbus planes

German airline Lufthansa is planning to buy 102 new aircraft from European plane-maker Airbus to improve fuel efficiency and meet future demand.

Chief executive Christoph Franz said in a statement today that the board had approved the purchase of two Airbus A380 superjumbo jets and 30 Airbus A320s.

The board also authorised management to complete negotiations for a further 70 Airbus A320 and A321 planes.

Mr Franz said the purchase focused on making the company’s fleet more modern and fuel-efficient, rather than expanding it. The company is trying to cut costs and improve profits.

Lufthansa also said it would buy six Boeing 777-ER plans for its Swiss subsidiary.

Lufthansa said it now has 236 planes on order between now and 2025 with a list price of €22 billion.

AP