The Boeing 777X’s development has largely been a story of frustration, with the aircraft having been delayed multiple times since its originally planned entry into service back in 2020. This has forced future operators of the type to re-evaluate their long-haul fleet plans in the short term, with Lufthansa being a prime example of this. After all, the German flag carrier is set to be the launch customer for the next-generation widebody series.

Earlier today, as part of the wider Lufthansa Group’s first-quarter financial results presentation, Simple Flying had the chance to ask CEO Carsten Spohr about the German flag carrier’s long-haul fleet plans. Needless to say, there are a lot of moving parts, and next year will be a time of considerable change.

Big Plans

Credit: Simple Flying

Lufthansa has long been touted as the launch customer for the Boeing 777X series, with present fleet data made available by ch-aviation showing that the airline has a grand total of 20 units of the larger 777-9 model on order. Carsten Spohr has reiterated his confidence in the fact that Lufthansa will receive its first 777X as planned in 2027, but this doesn’t mean that the German flag carrier is allowing itself to get complacent on these timelines.

Indeed, responding to a question from Simple Flying, the Lufthansa CEO explained that “in the case that the 777X is further delayed,” other long-haul jets would be able to plug the capacity gap. Specifically, Spohr says that “the Airbus A340-300 will continue to fly in 2027,” and that, as Lufthansa “has higher numbers of that type,” it is able to “compensate possible delays involving the 777X.” This year’s deliveries should also ease the pressure:

“I think what’s more important is that we have got 27 long-haul aircraft arriving this year. This equates to a new aircraft almost every week, if you include the shorter-haul jets too.”

All Change

For all of the incoming movements as far as widebody aircraft at Lufthansa are concerned, as well as the fact that, as seen above, its existing fleet of Airbus A340-300 quadjets will remain in service next year, the German flag carrier is also set to make some rather notable cuts on this front. These moves come as part of a wider restructuring initiative in response to rising jet fuel prices that has already seen the closure of Lufthansa CityLine.

On this front, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr confirmed to Simple Flying today that the A340-300’s stretched cousin, the A340-600, is on its last legs at the German flag carrier. He explained that “the grounding of the Airbus A340-600 will be done on October 6” of this year, bringing its time at the airline to an end.

As it stands, Lufthansa only has four A340-600s left. Elsewhere on the quadjet front, it has eight 747-400s at its disposal, with Spohr telling Simple Flying about these aircraft that, “at least temporarily, in the winter, two to four 747-400s will be removed from the fleet.” As far as what the future holds for these vintage American double-deckers is concerned, Spohr says that Lufthansa will “decide whether to bring them back in the summer of 2027.”

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel For The Boeing 777X

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As well as representing a long-awaited milestone for Lufthansa, the delivery of the first Boeing 777X to the Cologne-based German flag carrier and Star Alliance member will also represent a much-needed point of relief for Boeing itself. After years of delays and billions of dollars of extra expenditure, as well as changes and cancellations to orders of the type, the firm can now see the light at the end of the tunnel after recent news.

Indeed, as Simple Flying reported at the time, Boeing confirmed last month as part of its own first-quarter financial results presentation that the 777X is officially on track to meet the revised 2027 timeline for its entry into service. This development was announced at the same time as the news that Boeing foresees 2026 certification for the 737 MAX 7 and 10 narrowbodies ahead of their own 2027 entry into service, as it finally turns a corner.