Lufthansa promises increased Europe-Shanghai connectivity
Shot by Tang Dafei. Edited by Wang Xinzhou. Reported by Ke Jiayun. Subtitles by Ke Jiayun.
German airline Lufthansa has pledged to enhance its presence in China and improve connections between Europe and Shanghai.
The airline celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Shanghai-Frankfurt route on April 18.
Jens Ritter, an executive board member and the CEO of Lufthansa Airlines, was on flight LH732 and took part in celebrations at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
It was his first official visit to Asia after assuming the role of CEO.
City News Service supplied a gift set of passport holders and baggage tags for each passenger on the flight.
Airline personnel give CNS gift sets to incoming passengers.
Ritter voiced optimism in the Chinese market.
"The continuous increase in Lufthansa's capacity in China fully demonstrates our confidence in Shanghai and the Chinese market."
He also revealed plans to bring Lufthansa's newest cabin product, Allegris, to Shanghai, offering passengers a better flying experience.
Reflecting on the implications of China's visa-free policy with some European nations, he said that visa-free admission for non-Chinese citizens will undoubtedly help Lufthansa resume intercontinental flights.
"I'm pretty sure that with this initiative, more people from Germany and Europe will come to China to visit friends, for sightseeing, and also for business."
He stressed Shanghai's importance as a key market, as well as the airline's aspirations to boost capacity and provide a better flying experience.
Jens Ritter, an executive board member and the CEO of Lufthansa Airlines
He confirmed that the number of passengers visiting Shanghai had increased.
"Currently we are flying twice per day from Shanghai to Frankfurt, in parallel to our daily connection to Munich, and with that, we are up to a pre-pandemic capacity that we are really happy about."
Lufthansa has been instrumental in boosting business and cultural interchange between Germany and Shanghai for the past three decades, and Ritter underscored the airline's dedication to connecting people and economies.
"Our mission is to connect people, cultures, and economies. We sincerely believe that through human interaction and understanding, we can contribute to a more peaceful world."
Ritter also praised Shanghai's expansion and diversity.
"The development of Shanghai is truly amazing, especially the growth over the last 10 years."
He described Shanghai as one of the world's most fascinating and beautiful cities, with a strong emphasis on culture, economics, and innovation.
Lufthansa intends to expand its flight routes to other European locations, taking into account demand and aircraft capacity.
"We are evaluating whether we can fly to other destinations in China, but this is up to the demand and, of course, our aircraft capacity."
Lufthansa's presence in Shanghai dates back to the spring of 1994, when it became the first European airline to fly the Shanghai-Frankfurt route. It has gradually increased its presence in Shanghai, linking Munich in 2002 and establishing a service station in 2005.
In 2013, Lufthansa became the first European airline to use the A380 double-decker aircraft on the Shanghai-Frankfurt route, cementing Shanghai's role as a critical hub in its network.
Following the easing of travel restrictions, the airline has gradually resumed flights to China. To satisfy rising demand, the airline added another flight between Shanghai and Frankfurt at the beginning of this month.
With this expansion, Lufthansa now offers twice-daily Shanghai-Frankfurt and daily Shanghai-Munich flights, restoring capacity to pre-pandemic levels.
Lufthansa's headquarters in Cologne were established in 1924, and it has since grown to become one of Europe's largest airlines. The airline is currently completing its most major cabin product makeover plan, with a 2.5 billion euro expenditure to build 30,000 additional seats.
Next year, the airline plans to introduce Allegris, a new cabin offering featuring first-class suites, on Shanghai and other Chinese routes.
Furthermore, Lufthansa has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by becoming the first European airline to achieve SBTi certification, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. It aspires to be carbon neutral by 2050 and cut its carbon emissions in half by 2030.
Additionally, Lufthansa is Europe's top importer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Lufthansa considers China to be one of its most important intercontinental markets, having launched its first trip to Beijing in 1926.
