Summary
- Lufthansa will deploy the Airbus A380 from Munich to Washington Dulles next summer
- By replacing the A350, seats per flight will rise by a substantial 73%
- Lufthansa might be the third A380 operator at Dulles, joining British Airways and Emirates
Lufthansa has revealed that it’ll deploy the Airbus A380 from Munich to Washington Dulles next summer, connecting two essential Star Alliance hubs. While details are presently scant, it was disclosed on a day of big announcements and changes. Having returned to service in June 2023, the German giant plans to station six A380s – what it naffly calls ‘big birds’ – on the Bavarian hub next yr. It also plans to make use of the A380 to Delhi.
Lufthansa’s A380s to Dulles
When writing on September thirteenth, a number of the usual details – including the precise equipment switchover date – are unknown, and the A380 can be not yet listed in schedules or booking engines. Nevertheless it is a major development, as it’ll be the primary time Lufthansa has used the kind – by far the carrier’s largest equipment – to Dulles.
Assuming the schedule doesn’t change, it’s as follows, with all times local:
- Munich to Dulles: LH414, 16:20-19:40 (9h 20m block time)
- Dulles to Munich: LH415, 22:20-12:45+1 (8h 25m)
Lufthansa’s A380s have 509 seats, with eight in firstclass, 78 in business, 52 in premium economy, and 371 in regular economy. It is going to replace the A350-900, with Cirium indicating that the 293-seat configuration was scheduled for next summer.
(Old livery but good image.) Photo: Tom Boon | Easy Flying.
There’ll subsequently be an enormous 73% more seats on the market per flight to capture the height season demand, a substantial increase. Most importantly, it implies that firstclass might be available. There may also be 30 more business seats, 31 more in premium economy, and 147 additional seats in economy.
The third A380 operator to Dulles
Unless things change, Lufthansa might be the third A380 operator to the US airport after British Airways and Emirates. There might be triple every day flights by the kind, the primary time since 2019 – when Air France used the quadjet there – that it has had that many. Air France was the primary carrier to make use of the A380 to Dulles in 2011.
Photo: Lufthansa.
Next July, Emirates will arrive from Dubai at 08:40, Lufthansa from Munich at 19:40, and British Airways from London Heathrow at 20:25 (at 20:20 on Saturdays and Sundays, and 20:30 on Wednesdays).
Returning, Emirates will depart from Dulles at 10:55, Lufthansa at 22:20, and British Airways at 22:45. Two A380s might be on the bottom concurrently. While I cannot confirm the accuracy, it seems that Dulles has three gates (aircraft stands, as they’re called in Europe) able to handling the A380.
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Dulles to Munich: June 2023
Lufthansa and fellow Star Alliance member United each operate between Dulles and Munich. In June 2023, Lufthansa used the ever-rare A340-600 and United the 777-200ER.
Booking data indicates that the point-to-point market (those only traveling between the 2 airports) saw around 6,500 passengers (~217 every day). While this those that connected en route, e.g. Dulles-Dublin-Munich, the bulk flew with Lufthansa and United.
Photo: PJSAero I Shutterstock.
Roughly 13,000 passengers transited Munich (~433 every day), with Athens being the preferred market. An additional 5,300 (~177 every day) connected over Dulles, with Orlando being primary. Finally, around 6,000 passengers transited over Dulles Munich, with Cleveland-Budapest the highest market.
What do you make of all of it? Tell us within the comments.