Luxair Explained
Luxair, legally Luxair S.A., Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne, is a flag carrier of Luxembourg with its headquarters in Munsbach, Luxembourg,[1] and hub at Luxembourg Airport.[3] It operates scheduled services to destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East with additional charter and seasonal services. It is Luxembourg's only passenger-carrying airline offering regular, non-charter service.
History
Early years
Luxair descended from Luxembourg Airlines, which was founded in 1948. Luxair was set up in 1961 to meet the growing demand for air links between Luxembourg and other European cities. In 1962, Luxembourg Airlines became Luxair and began flights by launching a Luxembourg–Paris route with a Fokker F27 Friendship.From 1964 to 1969, Luxair operated three Lockheed L-1649A Starliner aircraft in a cooperative agreement with Trek Airways, from Luxembourg to Johannesburg. The Starliners were painted in Luxair livery and were registered in Luxembourg.[4] By 1967, Luxair's fleet consisted of three Fokker F27 Friendships and one Vickers Viscount. The latter was written off in a non-fatal accident in 1969 and replaced the following year by the airline's first jet airliner, a Sud Aviation Caravelle. By 1976, Luxair was operating a Boeing 707 with a Boeing 737-200 then joining the fleet in 1977.
Over the years, Luxair gradually introduced further jet aircraft: Boeing 737-400s and Boeing 737-500s; as well as Fokker 50 turboprops and Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 regional jets. In the 1980s, Boeing 747SPs owned by South African Trek Airways and operated by LUXAVIA were painted in Luxair colours, flying routes between South Africa and Europe, as well as holiday charters from Luxembourg.[5] LUXAVIA was a joint venture between Trek Airways and Luxair, enabling Trek Airways to avoid the repercussions of widespread anti-Apartheid boycotts.[6]
Development since the 2000s
In March 2003, Luxair ordered two new Boeing 737-700s to replace its older Boeing aircraft. The first of the new aircraft was delivered on 18 February 2004. A third aircraft was ordered in August 2003 and delivered in January 2005.On 21 December 2003, Luxair launched a new logo depicting a flying boomerang. The previous logo had been in use for 42 years. To move to an all-jet fleet, the last Fokker 50 aircraft was withdrawn from service in April 2005. The rising cost of oil made operating regional jets increasingly difficult. To lessen its exposure, Luxair decided to reintroduce turboprop aircraft, and in June 2006 it signed a firm order with Bombardier Aerospace for three Dash 8-Q400s, plus three options. The last of the three aircraft was delivered in September 2007. Two additional Q400s were ordered later.
In October 2008, Luxair decided to place an order for its first Boeing 737-800. This aircraft replaced the last Boeing 737-500 in Luxair's fleet and facilitated Luxair's offer on its holiday destinations. In 2009, the airline was awarded as the most punctual scheduled operator at London City Airport during 2008 by Flight on Time, based on CAA statistics.[7] In 2011 Luxair carried 1,302,771 passengers.[8] In 2013 and 2014, two new Boeing 737-800s fitted with Boeing Sky Interior became part of the fleet, which enabled Luxair to retire the last Boeing 737-500 from service.
In July 2015, Luxair's minority shareholder Lufthansa announced it would sell its 13 per cent stake in the airline it had held since 1993. The government of Luxembourg was named as the preferred buyer.[9] In November 2015, the sale was finalized when Lufthansa sold its entire stake to the state of Luxembourg.[10] Luxair also announced it would stop flying its route to Frankfurt Airport previously operated on a codeshare with Lufthansa as the latter started the same route itself.[11] Luxair is still part of the Lufthansa frequent flyer program Miles & More.[12] [13]
After the bankruptcy of Air Berlin, Luxair announced they would begin flying from Saarbrücken Airport to Berlin Tegel Airport utilising a Bombardier CRJ700 which Luxair leased from Adria Airways based in Saarbrücken.
Corporate affairs
Ownership
As of November 2015, after Lufthansa sold its shares, the airline is owned by the State of Luxembourg (52.04%), Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État (21.81%), Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (13.14%), the Luxair Group and others (13.11%).[14] In total, the State of Luxembourg owns 74.98% of the company through various state-owned corporations and its holding of 10% of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg.
Business trends
The key figures for the Luxair Group since 2008 are shown below:[15]
| Turnover
(€m) | Net profit
(€m) | Number of
employees | Number of
passengers
(m) | Passenger
load factor
(%) | Cargo carried
(000s tons) | Number of
aircraft | Notes/sources |
|---|
| 2008 | 417 | 8.5 | 2,461 | 1.22 | 73.4 | 810 | 15 | [16] |
| 2009 | 383 | 1.3 | 2,334 | 1.18 | 72.9 | 672 | 16 | |
| 2010 | 409 | 8.9 | 2,317 | 1.25 | 73.8 | 735 | 16 | |
| 2011 | 429 | 3.6 | 2,344 | 1.30 | 72.4 | 678 | 16 | [17] |
| 2012 | 447 | −21.2 | 2,309 | 1.37 | 73.4 | 638 | 16 | [18] |
| 2013 | 472 | 8.2 | 2,288 | 1.51 | 75.3 | 693 | 16 | [19] |
| 2014 | 495 | −0.4 | 2,394 | 1.68 | 74.5 | 725 | 17 | [20] |
| 2015 | 505 | 9.7 | 2,438 | 1.81 | 72.8 | 759 | 17 | [21] |
| 2016 | 498 | 4.4 | 2,527 | 1.84 | 71.6 | 822 | 16 | [22] |
| 2017 | 535 | 9.5 | 2,658 | 1.93 | 71.6 | 940 | 17 | [23] |
| 2018 | 593 | 12.5 | 2,828 | 2.13 | 72.6 | 957 | 17 | |
| 2019 | 615 | 8.1 | 2,877 | 2.14 | 73.0 | 893 | 19 | [24] |
| 2020 | 263 | −154 | 2,820 | 0.66 | 58.4 | 947 | 19 | [25] |
| 2021 | 457 | −2.3 | 2,705 | 1.08 | 68.6 | 1124 | 19 | [26] |
| 2022 | 683 | 67.1 | 3,118 | 1.2 | | 995 | 19 | [27] | |
Destinations
, Luxair flies (or has flown) to the following destinations:[28]
Codeshare agreements
Luxair has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:[60]
Fleet
Current fleet
, Luxair operates the following aircraft:[66]
Luxair fleet| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|
| Boeing 737-700 | 4 | - | 141 | [67] |
| Boeing 737-800 | 4 | - | 186 | |
| Boeing 737 MAX 7 | - | 4 | TBA | [68] [69] |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 2 | 4 | 186 | 2 to be leased.[70] [71] [72] |
| Boeing 737 MAX 10 | - | 2 | TBA | Order with 2 options.[73] [74] |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 | 11 | - | 76 | |
| Embraer E195-E2 | - | 4 | TBA | Order with 2 options and 3 purchase rights.
Deliveries begin Q4 2025.[75] |
| Total | 21 | 14 | | |
|---|
Historical fleet
Luxair previously also operated the following aircraft types:
Special liveries
Starting from 2020, Luxair released special liveries for some of its aircraft. On July 25, 2021, the company introduced the SUMO Artwork Luxair's Boeing 737/800. The livery was designed by the local street artist Christian "SUMO" Pearson. The special livery was meant to spread a positive message at the moment of the restart of operations after the first COVID-19 lockdown and was the main action of the company's broader "FlyingIsAnArt" project:[79] On the 25th of November 2020, the company released a de Havilland Q400 with an orange logo to raise awareness for violence against women.[80]
In July 2022, Luxair was the world's first airline to paint a livery of one of its aircraft in a rainbow, to support Luxembourg Pride Month.[81] This project inspired the German carrier Lufthansa, which one year later decided to do the same on one of its aircraft.[82]
In October 2022, Luxair painted one of its aircraft with pink artwork by the local artist Lisa Junius in partnership with Think Pink Lux, to contribute to the Pink October worldwide campaign.[83]
Accidents and incidents
- On 22 December 1969, a Vickers Viscount (registration LX-LGC) arriving from Frankfurt Airport, Germany, landed 60% on the right-hand side of R24, hit a snowbank piled up by snowplows at the intersection with runway 20 during landing and rollout at Luxembourg Findel Airport in freezing fog weather. No passengers were killed, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was scrapped in May 1970.[84]
- On 6 November 2002, Luxair Flight 9642, a Fokker 50 (registration LX-LGB) incoming from Berlin, Germany, crashed in a field near the village of Niederanven during its final approach to Luxembourg Findel Airport. Twenty passengers and two crew members died, including artist Michel Majerus. Only the pilot in command and one passenger survived.[85] This is the only fatal accident in Luxair's history.[86]
- On 30 September 2015, Luxair Flight 9562, operated by a Bombardier Q400, was taking off from Saarbrücken Airport when the first officer retracted the landing gear before the aircraft lifted off. The aircraft collapsed onto its belly and came to a stop on the runway.[87] The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and Luxair ordered a replacement Q400 to be delivered in August 2016.[88]
- On 4 February 2024, Luxair flight LG5682 flying between Ljubljana and Luxembourg was forced to land in Munich, after pilots reported a crack in their cockpit windshield. The Dash-8 plane was grounded for approximately 31 hours in Munich, repaired, and returned to Luxembourg.[89]
Notes and References
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- Web site: Luxair on ch-aviation.com . 5 Sep 2024 . ch-aviation.com.
- News: Directory: World Airlines . . 108 . 2007-04-03.
- http://www.zoggavia.com/Luxair.html Zoggavia.com – Luxair
- Web site: Luxavia.
- Web site: Flight to the past: Remember when Luxembourg had a direct flight connection to Johannesburg?. today.rtl.lu. 29 November 2023.
- Web site: FLIGHTONTIME.info - 2008 Awards. 24 April 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403071635/http://www.flightontime.info/awards08.html. 3 April 2015.
- Web site: LuxairGroup - Corporate Site. 24 April 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150414191020/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/page?p=EN,10539,178,,1,,. 14 April 2015.
- http://www.airliners.de/lufthansa-luxair-anteile/36166 airliners.de - "Lufthansa wants to get rid of Luxair shares"
- http://www.aero.de/news-22913/Lufthansa-macht-Luxair-Anteile-zu-Geld.html aero.de - Lufthansa macht Luxair-Anteile zu Geld ("Lufthansa cashes in Luxair shares")
- http://airlineroute.net/2015/08/11/lg-fra-dec15/ airlineroute.net - Luxair Ends Frankfurt Service from Dec 2015
- News: Lufthansa agreement breach: Luxair to stop Frankfurt flights but expand to Munich. 2015-08-08. Wort.lu. 2017-11-27. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034127/https://www.wort.lu/en/luxembourg/lufthansa-agreement-breach-luxair-to-stop-frankfurt-flights-but-expand-to-munich-55c61d7e0c88b46a8ce5e0d5. 2017-12-01.
- Web site: Miles & More - Luxair.lu. Luxair.lu. 2017-11-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171228234917/http://www.luxair.lu/cms/page?p=EN,19944,490,,1,,. 2017-12-28.
- The State of Luxembourg directly owns 26.85%; a further 21.81% is controlled by fully state-owned Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat.Web site: About Luxair Group – Shareholders. www.luxairgroup.lu. Luxair Group. 2 July 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403203355/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?page&p=EN,13657,181,,1,,. 3 April 2015.
- Web site: Annual Reports Luxair . 2024-09-05 . www.luxair.lu.
- Web site: Financial Report 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121115023936/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=EN,,,1.221,,, . 2012-11-15 . 6 December 2012.
- Web site: Annual Report 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130501023236/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506, . 2013-05-01 . 6 December 2012.
- Web site: Annual Report 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130501023236/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506, . 2013-05-01 . 1 June 2012.
- Web site: Annual Report 2013 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150403203847/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506, . 2015-04-03 . 8 February 2015.
- Web site: Annual Report 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023336/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506, . 2016-03-04 . 11 December 2015.
- Web site: Annual Report 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112015234/http://www.corporatenews.lu/download/2862/luxair-ra-2015.pdf . 2018-01-12 . 15 August 2017.
- Web site: Annual Report 2016 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170629090642/https://www.luxairgroup.lu/sites/default/files/2017-06/70155-LUXR-RA_2016_V1-PROD-2-WEB_0.pdf . 2017-06-29 . 15 August 2017.
- Web site: 2016-03-04 . Annual Report 2018 . 2 December 2019.
- Web site: 2016-03-04 . Annual Report 2019 . 20 January 2021.
- Web site: 2023-05-01 . Annual Report 2020 . 2023-05-01.
- Web site: 2023-05-01 . Annual Report 2021 . 2023-05-01.
- Web site: 10 May 2023 . Luxair Annual Report 2022 .
- Web site: Discover our destinations! . Luxair.lu . Luxair . 8 August 2024.
- Web site: Luxair has record 353 weekly August flights and 83 destinations; added 34 airports since 2020. 11 July 2023 .
- Web site: 2022-10-27 . Luxair introduces a new offer and connects to Antwerp to London City . 2023-01-10 . ANTWERP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT . en-US.
- Web site: Luxair reconnects Antwerp Airport (Belgium) with London City. 27 October 2022. Aviation24.
- Web site: Luxair inaugural flight to Brussels. Routes.
- Web site: Luxair aumenta número de voos semanais para as ilhas de Cabo Verde . 29 May 2023 .
- Web site: Luxair launches Luxembourg-Brač. zamaaero.com. 1 September 2023.
- Web site: Luxair NS24 Croatia Service Increases .
- Web site: Luxair NS24 Croatia Service Increases .
- Web site: Luxair W20 European network additions. Routes.
- Web site: Luxair, La grande traversée. 14 January 1999 .
- Web site: No more flights to Rovaniemi on LG's website in 2023.
- Web site: LUXAIR SE LANCE À VATRY. 20 May 2012 . French.
- Web site: Luxair maintains an optimised operation of its flights. André. Orban. 9 November 2020.
- Web site: Luxair S20 European network additions. Routes.
- Web site: Luxair Ends Frankfurt Service from Dec 2015. Routes.
- Web site: Luxair pulls out of Saarbrücken, DAT takes over to Hamburg. German.
- Web site: Luxair Is Back With Daily Flights. 1 May 2003. GTP Headlines.
- Web site: Luxair optimises its Winter flight schedule and introduces two additional destinations for next Summer season. André. Orban. 14 October 2022.
- Web site: Luxair adds Iceland service in 2Q18. Routes.
- Web site: Luxair resumes Milan Linate service in NW23. aeroroutes.com. 26 July 2023.
- Web site: Luxair adds Turin service in W16. Routes.
- Web site: Luxembourg Special Flight Covers. luxcentral.com.
- Web site: 20 October 2022 . LUXAIR BEGINS LUXEMBOURG – DAKAR SERVICE FROM LATE-OCT 2022 . Aeroroutes.
- Web site: Luxair celebrates 60 years since its first flight. delano.lu.
- Web site: Luxair repart vers Alicante | Air Journal. 24 October 2016.
- Web site: Mit Luxair nach Bilbao. 1 March 2011. Luxemburger Wort.
- Web site: Luxair's inaugural flight to Girona. Luxemburger Wort.
- Web site: Luxair inaugural flight to Zürich. Routes.
- Web site: Luxair takes over two new airplanes. 9 September 2024 . German.
- Web site: Arrêt de la ligne Luxembourg-Heathrow. 26 June 2008.
- Web site: Luxair Resumes Manchester Service from April 2024. AeroRoutes. 31 August 2023. 1 September 2023.
- Web site: Profile on Luxair. 2022-01-30. Star Alliance Members: Operating Carrier and Codeshare Information.
- https://wwws.airfrance.es/information/destinations-offres/reseau/partenaires-air-france Destinations
- Web site: Air Serbia and Luxair ink partnership . 6 July 2021 .
- Web site: Flight detail | Milan Linate Airport . Milanolinate-airport.com . 2022-05-07 . 2022-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163447/https://www.milanolinate-airport.com/en/flights/arrivals/flight-detail?action=execute&flightId=5532850 . dead .
- Web site: Luxair / SAS begins codeshare service from March 2017 | Routes . Routesonline.com . 2022-05-07.
- Web site: Luxair e TAP assinam acordo para melhorar oferta . Wort.lu . 2017-08-28 . 2022-05-07.
- Web site: Our Fleet. Luxair.
- Web site: Aviation . CenTex . 2023-06-21 . Luxair Becomes European Launch Customer for New Boeing 737 MAX 7 Aircraft . 2023-06-21 . LuxPlanes . en-US.
- Luxair Selects Boeing 737-7 To Grow Single-Aisle Fleet. 2023-06-21. MediaRoom.
- Luxair selects Boeing 737-7 to grow singleaisle fleet. 21 June 2023. luxair.lu.
- Luxair will purchase two additional Boeing 737-8. 28 April 2023. luxair.lu.
- Luxair to Grow Single-Aisle Fleet with Boeing 737 Jets. March 3, 2023 . Boeing Media Room . en.
- Web site: Luxair takes delivery of first B737 MAX 8. 4 July 2023. ch-aviation.com.
- Web site: Luxair Orders Up to Four Boeing 737-10. 22 July 2024. Airways Magazine.
- Web site: Luxembourg's Luxair orders 2+2 B737 MAX 10s. 22 July 2024. ch-aviation.com.
- Luxair orders four Embraer E195-E2 and secures delivery positions for five more. 10 October 2023 . Embraer. en.
- http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Luxair.htm airfleets.net - Luxair fleet details
- Global Airline Guide 2017 (Part One). Airliner World. October 2017. 20.
- Web site: World Airlines 1970 - Flight Archive. 27 July 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160822013441/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200540.html. 22 August 2016.
- Web site: Sumo Luxair | Luxair. Luxair.
- Web site: Luxair goes orange against domestic violence .
- Web site: Luxair dévoile son avion "Be Pride, be Luxembourg" .
- Web site: 'Lovehansa' livery celebrates Pride Month .
- Web site: Luxair Goes Pink in Support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month .
- Web site: Airline-Sicherheit - Fliegen - Reisen. FOCUS Online. 24 April 2015. FOCUS Online. 24 April 2015. 10 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180510030702/http://www.focus.de/reisen/fliegen/airline-sicherheit/airlines/flugsicherheit_aid_53907.html%27%27. dead.
- Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Fokker 50 LX-LGB Nederanven . Aviation Safety Network . 11 July 2020.
- Web site: ASN/Luxair . Aviation Safety Network . 11 July 2020.
- News: Luxair-Maschinn brécht Start of a kënnt um Bauch un d'Halen . RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg . lb . 30 September 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151001115105/http://www.rtl.lu/letzebuerg/715507.html . 1 October 2015 .
- Web site: Luxair to replace aircraft following Saarbrücken incident. 2015-12-21. Luxembourg Times. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601184242/https://luxtimes.lu/archives/8638-luxair-to-replace-aircraft-following-saarbr-cken-incident. 2019-06-01. live.
- Web site: Cracked windshield forces Luxair plane to divert to Munich. 2024-02-04. RTL (Luxembourgian TV channel). en.
