Lufthansa begins limited North American flight operation

Lufthansa begins limited North American flight operation 

East Meadow, NY, April 19, 2010 -- Lufthansa will today operate 50 long-haul flights with aircraft currently located abroad, to Germany. Those aircraft will take off from their respective locations in Asia, North and South America as well as Africa in the next hours. Of the 50 flights, 27 are planned today from North America to Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf, with arrivals in Germany tomorrow. In addition, Lufthansa will operate some flights from Germany to select long haul destinations, as well as some flights between Frankfurt, Munich and select German destinations. Details can be found at www.lufthansa.com. Only those passengers holding a confirmed booking for flights departing today are asked to go to the airport.  In addition, due to the current uncertain status of connecting flights, passengers will only be transported to Germany. Relevant visa requirements will therefore apply.

Lufthansa is doing its utmost to reaccommodate passengers whose flights have been cancelled, and get them to their final destination quickly and safely. Due to the exceptional situation and limited alternative transport options, passenger care can unfortunately not be rendered to the full extent at some airports.

Customers can rebook their flights free of charge for departures before May 31, 2010 by calling Lufthansa reservations at 1-800-645-3880 in the U.S. or 1-800-563-5954 in Canada. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled can also receive a refund, free of charge. Due to the extraordinary circumstances, longer than usual wait times should be expected.

It is impossible to further predict the development of the situation in the European airspace. We are frequently monitoring the current situation and are in close contact with the respective authorities, departments and airports.