The Lufthansa newsletter.

[LH-B744]

Well. That LUNN rather flies the Antonov AN-22 than a four engined passenger jet who is in the air since more than half a century,
that is accepted. Why not. I mean, I don't have a globe in my head all the time, but, for him, the Antonov factory is much nearer than the 747 factory.

Back on topic. Somebody on German TV said, that so many Lufthansa flights are cancelled today: Thursday July 07th 2022.

I don't say that there are people who lie on TV, but this is the topic to find out which Lufthansa flights do not take place today. And let me say one thing, I only changed and shortened my travel plans because somebody on TV said that so many Lufthansa flights are cancelled. So let us see how much truth is in it.

I like to begin with Stuttgart International airport, because somebody said, that especially the Lufthansa short haul flights are cancelled.
The source today is: flughafen minus stuttgart dot de .

LH #133 to Rhein/Main, STR 1055 -- on schedule, a/c type CR9 .
LH #135 to Rhein/Main, STR 1435 -- on schedule, a/c type 319 .
LH #137 to Rhein/Main, STR 1850 -- on schedule, a/c type CR9 .

All these times are subject to change, but at this very moment I do not really expect that - less than 12 hours before - my favorite airline will cancel a flight. And you can be sure that at least
for #133 I will give you at least one update here until 1055, so stay tuned.
Why have I shortened my travel plans. Probably only because I watch too much TV.. 'travel chaos, no one will fly anywhere...' bla bla.

It seems as if Stuttgart somehow loses this battle. Because I only cancelled my stay in Stuttgart because of German TV: 'travel chaos, no one will fly anywhere' .
That somehow is sad, and you will see exactly no excuse by one TV station ever.
But it is as it is.

The next airport is: Rhein/Main International airport.
And when I survive this so called "jetphotos forum night shift", then also EDDF with live update.

[LH-B744]

Based on what I read the other day, they currently 8 A380s rn but it is not confirmed if all of them will be back in service or only part of them

So, you don't really get paid by Lufthansa, e.g. for what you write here. One thing which we have incommon.

My idea not really leaves me this night, what if Spohr would reactivate the LH-B742 reg D-ABYM . The first task would be, to find, let's say a straight of 2700 m where the 'Yankee Mike' could take off again. Speyer is way too short for a 742.

Speyer (ICAO: EDRY) might be long enough for Ukrainian specialists to land an Antonov An-22 . But let's be honest, there are one or two differences between a 742 and an Antonov An-22
four engined turbine propeller.
1. the An 22 is the older one. 1967 vs 1969.
2. the 742 is the longer one: 70,7 m vs 58 m .
3. the An 22 has the wider shadow, which was quite pleasant in the hot summer sun: 64,4 m wingspan (An-22) vs 59,6 m wingspan (B742). Which was the balance of power until 1989.
4. the MTOW. My favorite airline today publishes it for our B744 with 394 metric tons or 868,607 lb. My definition of a heavy aircraft.

The by then brandnew 747-400, which is my avatar, has a shadow which is exactly as wide as the Antonov An-22: wingspan 64,4 m (!) . Now, the An-22 is the older one. In my eyes it is not impossible that the Antonov was at least one inspiration for the since 1989 so well known worldwide configuration, 4 engines and 64,4 m wingspan. In my 747-400. By then, really worldwide you could find a B744 - passage version (alphabetical): Air France (1991-2016), Air New Zealand, All Nippon, NorthWest NWA (the NorthWest bronze color still is very famous on a 744), Qantas with their unique 744ERs, South Africa Air, United Airlines, (this list does not request to be complete), ...

And who today is the only Gold Member in the 747 passage version club, Gold for clearly more than 50 years in the air with the B747 (since April 1970) ?
Not Qantas, although they are really close to the Gold Member 747-with-passenger-windows status (1971-2020).

Not the KLM, who owned and flew the 747 passage version between 1971 and 2020.

As far as I know, today there is only 1 international airline who knows (almost) everything about the 747, operator of the 747-100 passage, 747-200, 747-400 and 747-8i passage version.

Gold, with one Platinum star, for more than 52 years in the air with the 747, and the next decade is clearly visible..

Now you can make a rough guess. We have a Kranich on our tail fin.

PS: Another question would be, if "we" (Kranich on a nightblue tailfin) don't have enough seats for the long haul, who today still is able to fly the 747-200 in Speyer? During my stay in the museum this week, one man with a silver moustache stood with me in visible distance to the B742 with the words 'this cockpit was the best time of my life' in his eyes...

[NYspotter]

So, you say that 8 LH-A388s will come back?

I mean, I believe you! I am not the man here in this forum who is really responsible for birds who are bigger than the 747...

Based on what I read the other day, they currently 8 A380s rn but it is not confirmed if all of them will be back in service or only part of them

[LH-B744]

LH had 14 A380s originally .... 8 A380s bc 6 of 14 were sold.

So, you say that 8 LH-A388s will come back?

I mean, I believe you! I am not the man here in this forum who is really responsible for birds who are bigger than the 747...

[LH-B744]

As I said before, our CEO Spohr probably shouted (he is born in December, I know that not only people who are born in March can shout quite well)
only one sentence: Alles was Flügel hat auf die Piste!!

In English. I don't know if he really tries to reanimate the LH-B742 'D-ABYM' who since 2002 sits on her socket in Speyer. He probably would if he could.
In English: 'Everyone who since 1955 has ever worn the Kranich on his uniform, now it is our time, we have to fly!"

And that's LH newsletter part III for this week, last tuesday (48 hours ago) I was in Speyer. Und die alte Lufthansa 747 Dame ist ja wirklich noch rüstig. In English: ? .

And I now can show you how a Boeing 747-200 cockpit looked like, between 1971 and 2004, when the last 747-200 has left us.

PS: Apparently, I was one of the very few visitors of this museum who didn't come in at Speyer without an aircraft. But let me grade my photos, I am back here on my home base since less than 12 hours.

I hope that the 742 D-ABYM will never leave Speyer. Or Spohr reactivates her, for four or five years and then she returns to Speyer. So many little boys and little girls (!) and their parents were there with me, and where else than in Speyer could a little 7 year old daughter learn what until the year 2008 was the biggest passenger jet on planet Earth. Afaik, in Germany, that's the only 747 in a museum (!).

Which has a quite simple explanation: all the other German 747s are in the air!

Back soon, with one or two photos.

[LH-B744]

Well. Obviously I am what I never tried to be, namely the man who is responsible for Lufthansa news here in this forum. But let's take it as it is.

So. Let's have a look at the following weblink:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufthansa_fleet

Nothing new about my avatar. 747s are always needed, especially in these days ... Die Passagiere scharren mit den Hufen. In English: Everybody wants to fly in these days.

But what about my bigger sister. Which somehow is the LH-A388. It is said in this weblink:

Lufthansa confirmed the retirement of the entire A380 fleet in April 2022 only to reverse its decision on 27 June 2022.Lufthansa will reactivate the remaining A380s by summer 2023 travel.

This wednesday, I wondered what "our" CEO, Mr C. Spohr, means by that. The LH A380 fleet once was 8 a/c . Minus 6, which were given back to Airbus.

So at least 2 LH-A388 will come back into the air, with the Kranich on her tail fin.

Breaking news, as I would say, published June 27th 2022, which was 48 hours ago.