Airlines across Europe have implemented large-scale cancellations for the winter, and Lufthansa is the latest carrier that has announced thousands of more flights in the winter schedule are being canceled.
Previously Lufthansa has previously reasoned their cancellations with staff shortages and strikes and it appears that things ain’t getting better in the airlines view as this calamity now drags on into the winter schedule.
The winter schedule reaches from later October through 26 March 2023, so we’re talking about a long-term schedule adjustment that will mostly impact short and medium-haul flights.
According to Euronews and several German media reports, Lufthansa is now preparing passengers for the worst.
… Lufthansa confirmed today that it will be removing some flights from its winter schedule from now until 26 March 2023. So far the airline hasn’t confirmed how many will be cancelled but says it is due to staff shortages, particularly at Frankfurt Airport. Lufthansa may also make some changes to flight times from October. …
In the summer schedule, Lufthansa has already cancelled more than 5,000 flights for various reasons, causing mayhem for travelers.
And that’s not all that could keep passengers from booking Lufthansa for the coming six months.
The German government has announced stricter rules regarding masking on planes and trains that will range from October 1, 2022 until April 2023. The new regulations not only mandate masks on planes but also require passengers to wear FFP2 masks. Regular medical masks will no longer be acceptable and this is going to affect all flights from/to Germany, according to the government.
While most other countries have done away with their senseless Covid regulations, German politicians continue to push their policies on the public. Thain ain’t going to be a pretty fall/winter season in Germany so the best is to stay clear.
Lufthansa management has already voiced opposition against this regulation and SWISS will most likely continue to ignore it as they have done in the past. If this endless masking up is not what you like to do, I recommend to pick your airline very carefully when visiting Europe.
In terms of flight cancellations, British Airways has already capitulated entirely and announced that they’d cancel a combined 10,000 flights for their winter schedule operational period:
Those who live near major airports or have the option to travel there by train have at least a better shot of being less impacted as long as they plan long-haul flights. If connections or layovers are required, then a simple connection could turn into a nightmare.
It’s already difficult to find many destinations after the mass schedule changes of the summer. For example, when Heathrow instituted their departure cap plus the flight cancellations airlines started to rebook passengers from/via Paris, Zurich and Frankfurt. As a result, many planes such as Singapore Airlines were booked solid, especially in Premium Class.
Conclusion
Lufthansa has announced they’ll be making significant changes to the winter schedule which will once again include thousands of flight cancellations, impacting travelers flying on the German carrier mostly on short and medium-haul routes.
Lufthansa will also have to deal with new, stringent mask requirements put into place by the German government. From October 1, 2022 passengers are obliged to wear FFP2 masks (good luck finding those) on flights to/from Germany. What a mess!
