Lufthansa deploys new short-haul subsidiary at Frankfurt hub

Germany’s Lufthansa Group said on Tuesday it is now deploying its new short-haul subsidiary Lufthansa City Airlines at its largest hub in Frankfurt.

After an initial launch on Monday with a flight to Manchester, the Frankfurt-based fleet is set to grow to seven A320neo aircraft by September, the company said.

Thirteen aircraft are already based at the second hub in Munich.

To support the expansion of the wholly owned subsidiary, the group is hiring employees in Frankfurt. Some 60 staff have already been recruited, and a further 280 positions are planned.

Lufthansa City Airlines currently employs around 450 people.

Its crews are replacing staff at the core Lufthansa brand and the regional subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine under lower collective wage agreements — a strategy that pilot and cabin crew unions criticize.

For passengers, it is difficult to tell which airline they are flying with, as City Airlines is fully integrated into the Lufthansa flight schedule and does not sell its own tickets.

The group is pursuing a similar concept with its subsidiary Discover, which operates long-haul flights to popular leisure destinations.

The UFO cabin crew union is calling for wage negotiations at both the core airline and the regional subsidiary CityLine, whose future is now under review. In a letter to members, the union warned that if talks remain blocked, it could call strikes at any time, including at short notice.