LUFTHANSA is looking to operate twice-weekly Frankfurt-Malé flights, via Airbus A340 aircraft with three-class configuration, from winter this year.
The new service will add to the daily Vienna-Malé flights by Austrian Airlines, the group’s other airline.
Lufthansa director for South Asia, Wolfgang Will, said: “We are opening the route when it’s extremely cold in Europe and a lot of leisure visitors and honeymooners are looking to explore a high-end beach destination like the Maldives.
“Though the traffic we are expecting will be predominantly incoming to Maldives, this route will also cater to European hoteliers and the Maldivian government officials travelling to European destinations.
“The aircraft’s configuration will be suited for a touristic destination – we will have smaller business and premium economy classes but a huge economy class.”
Lufthansa will increase capacity into the Indian market by deploying the Airbus A380 aircraft daily on the Frankfurt-Mumbai sector from October, following its Frankfurt-Delhi service launched last year.
“Our competitors have been adding capacity in India…now we are looking at 7.3 per cent more capacity in India by replacing small aircraft with larger ones,” said Will.
The airline also plans to roll out the premium economy class on its Delhi route from April.
