Aircraft delivery delays having 'brutal' impact on Lufthansa, says CEO

Aircraft delivery issues are having a "brutal" impact on Lufthansa and will not be resolved before the end of the decade, according to CEO Carsten Spohr. Speaking at the business press club in Stuttgart late Thursday, Spohr said the aircraft shortage could be costing Lufthansa some E500m a year, although he did not provide an exact figure.<br/>Lufthansa has ordered 250 new aircraft from Airbus and Boeing to modernize its fleet, with deliveries scheduled between 2024 and 2029. However, "no plane arrives on time," said Spohr, adding that around 100 of Lufthansa's 750 aircraft were grounded either for maintenance reasons or because they had been decommissioned. Earlier this week, Airbus lowered its forecast for deliveries this year to around 770 jets from around 800. The announcement came amid growing scepticism among suppliers over its jet output as Airbus grapples with parts shortages.<br/>