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Lufthansa is testing a new “light cleaning” policy on select short-haul routes this month in an effort to trim costs. The German carrier is trialing new procedures on approximately 20 intra-European routes between March 16 and March 29.
Among the changes are “on-demand” cleaning requests at the behest of cabin crew, instead of a typical comprehensive full clean. This will only affect the economy class cabin, with procedures remaining unchanged for premium cabins.
Lufthansa Tests New Reduced Cleaning In Economy
As first reported by aeroTELEGRAPH, the airline’s cost-cutting trial is currently taking place on routes from various European outstations, affecting approximately 20 routes over a two-week period starting March 16. According to an internal memo, cabin crew will inform cleaning staff of areas that require cleaning in economy class. This includes lavatories and seatback pockets, which means they will only receive a clean if cabin crew deem it necessary.
The carrier has called this concept “light cleaning,” stating that it is exploring the “commercial and operational potential” of the approach ahead of a possible wider rollout. The current trial will apply to several European outstations, but will not be implemented on flights from its 
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and 
Munich Airport (MUC) hubs. Notably, this will not affect cleaning procedures in premium cabins, with only economy class to receive “cleaning as needed.” A spokesperson told aeroTELEGRAPH,
“As part of the turnaround project, numerous process optimizations are currently being examined to increase efficiency and to utilize resources even more effectively.”
Halving Cleaning Staff, Doubling Time Spent Cleaning
Along with reduced cleaning in the economy cabin, Lufthansa is also assessing whether it can reduce the number of cleaning staff needed during turnarounds. This would entail dropping the number of cleaners from four to two per aircraft at outstations. However, these two cleaning staff would double their time spent on each aircraft from five minutes to ten minutes, effectively keeping the cleaning output level the same.
Lufthansa will review the impact of this new approach as part of its efforts to trim costs, taking onboard feedback from crew and passengers. The German carrier has also explored other small tweaks to its procedures with varying results. One of these was to instruct its crew to no longer cross seatbelts in the economy cabin before boarding. However, upon feedback from its crew, the airline reversed this, informing its crew to continue crossing seatbelts again.
The “light” approach is also coming to its premium cabins, with news recently emerging that Lufthansa Group airlines will be rolling out unbundled fares in business class and premium economy. Under these new fares, passengers will have to pay for seat selection and receive fewer baggage allowances.
Lufthansa CEO Optimistic About Mainline Profitability In 2026
Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter plans a full 2026 turnaround — with new rules, fleet renewal and cost cuts aimed at making the airline fully profitable.
Lufthansa’s Turnaround Continues
All of these measures are being taken as part of Lufthansa’s drive to cut its operating costs following a run of less-than-ideal financial results. In the first half of 2025, Lufthansa Group managed a slim $172 million profit off the back of $20.8 billion in revenue, with its mainline Lufthansa operation losing $317 million during the same period.
As a result, the airline group is pursuing a “turnaround” strategy with its mainline operation, implementing various operational changes to improve profitability at Lufthansa. According to the airline, its turnaround plan currently involves no less than 700 individual measures designed to reduce overheads.
Additionally, its mainline fleet continues to upgrade with more efficient aircraft models, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and Lufthansa will also be the launch customer of the upcoming Boeing 777X, which is slated for its commercial debut next year. The streamlining efforts have already borne fruit, with Lufthansa Group registering its highest-ever revenue in 2025. Revenue jumped by 5% year-on-year, while its operating profits saw an even greater increase of 25% compared to 2024.
