Lufthansa Cargo is continuing its search for an operator for its fleet of Airbus A321 freighters that have been grounded since mid-April.
A spokesperson told Air Cargo News that the four freighters, which were grounded when operator Lufthansa City Line was closed, have now been moved out of Frankfurt, where they had been parked since April, and had the Lufthansa Cargo branding removed.
The cargo business is in talks with potential operators as its own flight operations are based around widebody Boeing 777 freighter aircraft.
“We are currently working intensively to evaluate the available options for operating our A321 freighter fleet. As part of this process, we are in discussions with several potential operators to identify a sustainable solution for the future operation of the aircraft,” the spokesperson said.
“As part of the ongoing evaluation of different operating scenarios, the aircraft have been transitioned to a neutral exterior appearance.
“Since the aircraft are currently grounded, the branding was removed during this period. For operational reasons, the aircraft are moved on a regular basis, for example to undergo scheduled inspections and maintenance checks.
“Furthermore, they had been moved from Frankfurt due to commercial reasons.”
The overall Lufthansa group could have been one option to operate the aircraft given it has a fleet of more than 35 A321-200s.
However, in a previous update, the airline said that it seemed likely the operator would be outside the Lufthansa Group.
Flight tracking site FlightAware suggests that three of the aircraft have been moved to Budapest and one to Sofia.
The duration of the current suspension of flight operations has not yet been finally determined, the spokesperson said.
The decision to ground the CityLine fleet was part of a series of measures announced in April by Lufthansa in view of increased kerosene prices as well as rising additional burdens from labour disputes, although the company was already under pressure.
Lufthansa Cargo launched its A321 freighter network in 2022 to cover to intra-European demand and demand between Europe and North Africa.
The 28-ton capacity converted aircraft were based at Frankfurt Airport and operated by CityLine under a wet lease agreement.
