Lufthansa starts reducing fleet, cutting jobs after state rescue

Lufthansa will cut 20% of managerial positions and accept no more than 80 planes from its current order book as it slashes spending to be able to repay as much as E9b in government aid. The German national carrier will also eliminate 1,000 administrative positions in a second round of cost cutting amid a slump in travel demand caused by the coronavirus. The airline’s plan to scale back on deliveries will reduce spending on new jets by half, according to a Tuesday statement. Lufthansa said in April it will reduce the size of its fleet, which stood at 763 planes last year, by 100 and close the low-cost Germanwings unit. The carrier will now accelerate the process of turning its namesake airline into a separate entity. The company reiterated that it has 22,000 surplus full-time positions but will avoid firing staff wherever possible.<br/>