Lufthansa, the flag carrier of Germany, has recently delayed the delivery of one of Austrian Airlines’ incoming Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. This move comes as part of a schedule adjustment and follows ongoing frustration at Lufthansa regarding its 787 Dreamliner fleet due to seat certification issues.

At present, Lufthansa has 14 Boeing 787-9s in its fleet, with an average age of just 2. 9 years. The airline also has 21 more on order. Meanwhile, Austrian Airlines has only received two 787-9s so far, with the third expected to arrive from Lufthansa this month. However, due to Lufthansa’s decision to retain the aircraft for a little longer, it will now be transferred in April and will not enter service until June 1 after undergoing cabin refurbishment and repainting.

Austrian Airlines is expecting three more 787-9s from Lufthansa this year, bringing its total fleet size for the type to five. The first of these was originally scheduled to arrive in March but will now be transferred in April, according to German publication aeroTELEGRAPH. Lufthansa has cited the need for the aircraft to be used for a longer period as the reason for the delay. An Austrian Airlines spokesperson has stated that this is a minor adjustment to the schedule and the airline is supporting Lufthansa in operating the Dreamliner for a little longer.

Lufthansa’s 787 fleet has faced numerous delays and setbacks, particularly with regards to seat certification issues. The airline’s updated ‘Allegris’ cabins have faced multiple delays in certification, resulting in Lufthansa being unable to sell all seats on board. This has undoubtedly affected the airline’s profitability, as initially, only four business class seats were available for sale.

However, there is good news for Lufthansa as it has recently been reported that it will be able to sell 25 out of 28 Allegris business class seats on its 787s starting from April. Despite this, the introduction of the Dreamliner has not been as smooth as the airline had hoped.

As for flight schedules, Lufthansa has planned 639 flights with its 787 Dreamliner aircraft for March, with the most frequent route being between Frankfurt and Munich. Other destinations with daily frequencies include Detroit, Toronto, Atlanta, Mumbai, Nairobi, and Bogota. Meanwhile, Austrian Airlines has scheduled 118 flights with its smaller fleet of two 787-9s, primarily serving US East Coast destinations such as Newark and New York JFK.

In conclusion, Lufthansa’s decision to delay the delivery of one of Austrian Airlines’ Dreamliner aircraft highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the airline with its 787 fleet. However, with improvements in seat certification, the airline can look forward to maximizing the potential of its Dreamliner operations in the near future.