Lufthansa Group has announced a sweeping cut of around 4,000 jobs by 2030 as part of a wider effort to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) systems into the digitalisation of the aviation industry. The German airline has already reported high demand for air travel in the upcoming years, predicting greater profits as a result of this demand and new initiatives.
AI Taking Over Airlines
Lufthansa CEO, Carsten Spohr, says that the airline wants to become more digital and efficient, simplifying the airline’s operations and delivering better services to its passengers.
The jobs that will be lost will be predominantly in Germany and will primarily be administrative and office roles, rather than ground staff.
With headquarters in Cologne and executives and operational offices in Frankfurt, the company had over 100,000 employees in 2024 and generated a revenue of $44 billion.
Extensive Plans
Following the airline’s 100th anniversary, the airline has also confirmed it has more than 230 new aircraft on order through to 2030, with at least 100 of them destined for long-haul services.
New modernised cabins are to be expected as well as more digital services for passengers, with AI systems supporting both flight scheduling and maintenance planning.
These moves intend to push the group’s operating margin above 10% by the late 2020s, up from the previous €1.6 billion net profit that was achieved in 2024.
Lufthansa carried 118 million passengers in 2024, and with these new operations the group aims to make these numbers rise as aviation enters a new digital age.
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