The Hindu Business Line : Lufthansa keen to expand in India

The German airline Lufthansa is keen to expand its footprint here through a combined strategy of increasing its current network and passenger carriage. The airline is also examining the possibility of launching a credit card here.

"Lufthansa has great confidence in India and we see ourselves only growing here. In the last three years, we have doubled our flights to India and we see the airline operating at least on 10 routes in the next few years. We have five to six cities on our radar. Besides, through our various joint venture companies we are also continuously looking at investment opportunities here," said the airline Executive Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, Mr Thierry Antinori.

The airline, which is estimating an annual double-digit growth in passenger traffic for the next few years, is waiting for the finalisation of dates for the next round of bilateral air service talks between India and Germany to firm up its future growth plan here.

May launch credit card

Lufthansa is also looking at the possibility of launching a credit card, the airline's General Manager (Passenger Sales - India and Director - South Asia) Mr Werner Heesen said, and added that the airline was in talk with five to seven companies for the proposed tie-up. Currently, while several Indian airlines have tied up with credit card companies, this is not the case with international airlines.

While refusing to be drawn into specific investment plans for India, Mr Antinori pointed out that the airline had invested several millions of Euros in the new aircraft that are being flown here. India, which is part of the Asia-Pacific region that accounts for 20 per cent of revenue, is the second largest market in the region. The airline now operates 45 flights a week, including a daily from Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai to Frankfurt.

Asked whether the delay in the delivery of the Airbus A-380 aircraft would affect the launch of more flights to India, Mr Antinori replied in the negative. "The airline has already ordered five Airbus A-330 aircraft that would be used to make up for any capacity constraint that may be felt," he said.