Lufthansa Group pins its hopes on Asia

German aviation group Lufthansa Group is banking on aviation growth in Asia and Thailand to expand its flights, in addition to non-airline businesses. "Thailand is not only a tourism destination, but also a very interesting destination for other elements of business," Carsten Spohr, CE of Lufthansa Group, told the Bangkok Post. Spohr said cargo demand out of Thailand is increasing, while Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities. He said the group is looking for new customers or partners for its Lufthansa Technik MRO business, which now serves the Royal Thai Air Force. For the group's airline business, Bangkok is the destination with the largest number of flights, with more than 10,000 seats a week from 27 flights a week operating from its hubs in Europe, including the recent addition of Rome via ITA Airways, a company in which Lufthansa has a 41% stake. Roughly one-third of passengers on flights bound for Bangkok transfer to other domestic destinations as well as cities elsewhere in Asia. Lufthansa has extended its double-decker Airbus A380 services from Munich to Bangkok for an additional month to cover the Songkran holiday period in April due to robust demand. The airline also plans to fly A380s on this route during the winter schedule from October, he said. The new "Lufthansa Allegris" cabin design in new aircraft serving long-haul flights should be introduced in Thailand next year, having been rolled out on flights serving Shanghai and Mumbai.<br/>