Leading European airline Lufthansa has been operating daily flights of its new range of Airbus A350-900 from Mumbai to Munich since 16 April 2017. The Airbus A350-900 is considered to have more endurance and can cover long distances due to the modern-long haul features of the aircraft. Increased capacity, efficiency and travel comfort raises the benchmark of Lufthansa in India and worldwide. After the arrivals of wider-bodied aircrafts like the Airbus A380, Lufthansa initiated the launch of the A350-900 flights which are longer compared to the A380 and has more capacity for passengers.
Mumbai now becomes the third destination in the world after Boston and New Delhi to host the flights from Munich.
“Maharashtra is amongst our most important markets and our relationship with the city of Mumbai has grown consistently over the years. Therefore, it is only natural that Mumbai becomes the third destination worldwide to receive the most modern and environmental friendly aircraft, the Lufthansa Airbus A350-900. Having made India home for over half a century, it’s equally important for us to cultivate long lasting trustful relations reflective of our ‘More Indian Than You Think’ commitment. Building on this we will continue to invest in innovative products and services to ensure an enriching travel experience for our customers.” said Wolfgang Will, senior director south Asia, Lufthansa Group Airlines.
LH764 and LH765 were the first flights that marked their journey from Munich and Mumbai. The environmental friendly aircraft consumes 25 per cent less fuel and 25 per cent fewer emissions. Will further explained that the aircraft has up to 50% smaller noise footprint than comparable aircrafts and creates less noise pollution making the passenger experience a quiet and peaceful in flight experience without disturbing the outside environment. The cabin spaces in the aircrafts as well are wider and more spacious with new seats in the economy class with a change in the interiors of the flight. The A350-900 consists of 293 seats over all having 43 in business class, 21 in premium economy and 224 in the economy class.
At the launch, Will shared his thoughts and reasons of launching the Airbus A350-900 and along with him was Corinna Born who represents the Munich airport. She provided her thoughts about the events by showcasing a presentation of the infrastructure of the airport and the facilities that the Munich airport provides apart from boarding and landing an airplane.
“Munich airport is very happy to welcome Lufthansa's first three Airbus 350 aircrafts with daily flights to New Delhi, Boston and Mumbai. Lufthansa’s decision to station 15 new Airbus A350 which produce 25 per cent lower emissions perfectly fits into our climate protection strategy. The Munich airport aims to become Germany’s first climate-neutral airport by 2030. That means, we are going to reduce our attributable Co2 emission by 60 per cent and compensate the remaining 40%. In order to reduce its carbon emissions continuously, Munich Airport assumes responsibility for climate protection in many different projects and measures. Munich Airport is a great gateway for Indian travelers with maximum connectivity within Europe”, shared Corinna Born, Director, International Media Relations, Munich Airport
The Lufthansa Group also mentioned that their tie up with Swiss International Air Lines and Brussles Airlines will continue to provide maximum services of flights to Indian passengers and grow the business in the country. Together, the group operates 65 weekly flights to India as well as from India and has one of the largest growing networks of multiple European and North American destinations with seamless connections from the country.
BW Reporters
The author is a journalist with BW Businessworld
