No flights: Lübeck Air extends hibernation period into summer

It was an emergency stop. In March, Lübeck Air suddenly changed its strategy. It sold its ATR 72. As a result, 15 cockpit and cabin employees lost their jobs. Instead of flying primarily to city destinations such as Bern, Munich, Stuttgart and Salzburg, the domestic airline at the northern German airport will henceforth focus entirely on niche tourist destinations, which it serves with wet-lease partners.

This winter, Lübeck Air took a complete break. The airline explained that the reason was restructuring. The colder months are used to boost construction work at the airport.

The brand can be revived

As we see now, winter becomes year-round sleep. “Lübeck Air will continue to be temporarily grounded for the time being,” an aeroTELEGRAPH spokeswoman said. This is a “strategic decision.” Once partners are found, “the virtual airline can be launched again as a brand,” she adds.

As long as this does not happen, Lübeck Airport will focus on external airlines. The summer program includes trips to Mallorca, Corfu, Kos, Crete and Rhodes. The spokeswoman said that demand for Mediterranean destinations is “very promising.” Flights from Lübeck will be operated by Sundair, which will station an Airbus A319 at the airport.

The fleet expansion was planned two years ago

At its peak in summer 2022, Air Lübeck offered 72 flights to 16 destinations using ATR. From Bastia in Corsica, across the island of Jersey to Zadar in Croatia. At that time, the airline purchased an Embraer E190 from German Airlines on a wet lease.