Aviation
Lufthansa Names Carsten Spohr Chief Executive, Succeeding Franz
BERLIN – Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA), Europe’s second-largest airline, said its supervisory board today appointed 47-year-old internal candidate Carsten Spohr as chief executive officer to succeed Christoph Franz.
Spohr, who has headed Lufthansa’s main passenger airline unit since January 2011, will become CEO on May 1, the Cologne, Germany-based company said in a statement. Franz said in September that he’d quit the carrier in May to become chairman of the supervisory board at Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG.
Franz, 53, drew criticism from employees as he sought to wring savings from Lufthansa in order to raise operating profit to 2.3 billion euros ($3.1 billion) by 2015. The program spans 3,500 job cuts to less generous retirement benefits and travel perks, and the animosity it provoked may have led him to announce his departure after less than three years as CEO.
“As a Lufthansa man born and bred, I view the appointment as both an honor and an obligation,” Spohr said today. “I am convinced that the company is on the right track. Together, we will make our company resilient and ready for the future.”
The change of guard comes as Lufthansa seeks to fend off competition both from discount rivals that are capturing market share on European routes and Gulf carriers eating into the more lucrative long-haul business. The airline is moving short-haul services outside Frankfurt and Munich to low-cost unit Germanwings and upgrading first and business class cabins to make up lost ground on intercontinental operations.
Lost Vision
“Europe’s big-three airlines have fallen behind while focusing on cost-cutting,” said Joern Grotepass, a consultant at AT Kearney who specializes in aviation. “They have to an extent lost their vision.”
Lufthansa ranks behind European No. 1 Air France-KLM (AF) Group by traffic and ahead of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG), the owner of British Airways.
Spohr will give up his position at the passenger airline unit when taking the CEO post, with a successor at the division to be identified by the end of April, Lufthansa today.
Franz hammered out joint ventures for trans-Atlantic flights with United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL:US) and for Asian routes with All Nippon Airways (9202), and has said the carrier may team up with China Airlines Ltd. in a similar fashion.
Franz, who lives in Zurich and commutes to Frankfurt, has said working at Roche will make it easier for him to have time for his wife and five children.
Born in Wanne-Eickel in Germany’s industrial heartland, Spohr earned a captain’s license for flying Airbus Group A320-series planes before taking over Lufthansa’s personnel-recruiting department in 1994.
From 1995 to 1998 Spohr was personal assistant to then-CEO Juergen Weber, and was appointed to the management board of the passenger airline in 2004. He started heading the unit seven years later, when he was also promoted the management board.
– BLOOMBERG
An Abuja-Accra flight experienced technical difficulties mid-air on Friday, forcing it to return to Abuja, shortly after departure.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) made the disclosure in a statement, adding that it has launched investigation into what it described as a serious accident.
Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji stated that preliminary investigations revealed the aircraft experienced an engine number two indication issue.
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It was gathered that the aircraft, with registration number 5NKAL which was operating a flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja (DNAA), to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (DGAA).
She explained that four persons were onboard when the incident occurred. The crew immediately requested for a diversion back to Abuja due to the engine indication.
Oladeji added that the crew managed to safely land the aircraft at Abuja Airport at 18:16 UTC.
There were no injuries reported, and all individuals on board are safe.
Nigeria has acquired 12 pre-owned Alpha Jets from the French Air Force as part of efforts to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The deal, facilitated through SOFEMA, a French military and aeronautics company, was announced by Olusegun Dada, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on via X on Thursday.
He said, “All the 12 aircraft are ready for shipping.”
The Alpha Jet, a product of Franco-German collaboration, is a versatile military aircraft designed for light attack and advanced training missions.
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Equipped to carry bombs, rockets, and missiles, the aircraft also features a gun pod for close air support.
The NAF already operates 11 Alpha Jets, but this latest procurement signals a significant boost to its fleet.
Dada also confirmed that the Air Force is expecting 24 M-346FA light attack aircraft, ordered during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The first batch of these Italian-made aircraft is expected to arrive early next year.
Air Chief Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff, described the acquisitions as a testament to President Tinubu’s commitment to bolstering the armed forces.
“This renewal of our aircraft fleet reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerians,” Abubakar said.
The announcement comes on the heels of President Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The visit, which took place from November 27 to November 30, highlighted deepening ties between the two nations.
To ensure the sustainability of its expanding fleet, the Air Force has proposed establishing a local maintenance hub.
Speaking in October, Abubakar noted that six units of the M-346FA aircraft were already in production, with the initial batch of three expected to be delivered in early 2025. The full fleet is projected to arrive by 2026.
“These developments underscore the importance of creating a domestic support system for the long-term upkeep of our aircraft,” Abubakar added.
As the holiday season draws near, Aero Contractors has introduced a minimum ticket price of N80,000 for all local flights.
The move, which will last until January 2024, aims to ease the financial burden on Nigerians amid the high cost of living.
Ado Sanusi, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, made the announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing, describing the fare reduction as a gesture to help Nigerians celebrate Christmas and the New Year without the stress of steep ticket prices.
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Sanusi said, “We understand the economic hardship Nigerians are facing, especially with high ticket prices, and we know the holiday season is nearby.
“In the spirit of Christmas, Aero Contractors has introduced what we call pocket-friendly Christmas prices. These fares, starting at N80,000, will apply to all our destinations, allowing Nigerians to travel without excessive costs.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, an economy class ticket from Lagos to Abuja was priced at N99,643, while business class tickets were being sold for N189,167.
Sanusi further explained that the initiative was designed to make it easier for families to reunite during the holidays.
“This is a way for us, as an organization with a long history of serving Nigerians, to give back to our loyal customers. We want to make it possible for families to meet their loved ones during this festive season without worrying about exorbitant travel costs,” he added.
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