Luxair Explained

Airline:	Luxair
Iata:	LG
Icao:	LGL
Callsign:	LUXAIR
Key People:	Gilles Feith (CEO)
Headquarters:	Munsbach, Luxembourg^[1]
Hubs:	Luxembourg Airport
Frequent Flyer:	Miles & More
Fleet Size:	21
Destinations:	85

Luxair, legally Luxair S.A., Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne, is a flag carrier of Luxembourg with its headquarters and hub at Luxembourg Airport.^{[2] [3]} It operates scheduled services to destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East with additional charter and seasonal services. It is Luxembourg's only passenger-carrying airline offering regular, non-charter service.

History

Early years

Luxair descended from Luxembourg Airlines, which was founded in 1948. Luxair was set up in 1961 to meet the growing demand for air links between Luxembourg and other European cities. In 1962, Luxembourg Airlines became Luxair and began flights by launching a Luxembourg–Paris route with a Fokker F27 Friendship.From 1964 to 1969, Luxair operated three Lockheed L-1649A Starliner aircraft in a cooperative agreement with Trek Airways, from Luxembourg to Johannesburg. The Starliners were painted in Luxair livery and were registered in Luxembourg.^[4] By 1967, Luxair's fleet consisted of three Fokker F27 Friendships and one Vickers Viscount. The latter was written off in a non-fatal accident in 1969 and replaced the following year by the airline's first jet airliner, a Sud Aviation Caravelle. By 1976, Luxair was operating a Boeing 707 with a Boeing 737-200 then joining the fleet in 1977.

Over the years, Luxair gradually introduced further jet aircraft: Boeing 737-400s and Boeing 737-500s; as well as Fokker 50 turboprops and Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 regional jets. In the 1980s, Boeing 747SPs owned by South African Trek Airways and operated by LUXAVIA were painted in Luxair colours, flying routes between South Africa and Europe, as well as holiday charters from Luxembourg.^[5] LUXAVIA was a joint venture between Trek Airways and Luxair, enabling Trek Airways to avoid the repercussions of widespread anti-Apartheid boycotts.^[6]

Development since the 2000s

In March 2003, Luxair ordered two new Boeing 737-700s to replace its older Boeing aircraft. The first of the new aircraft was delivered on 18 February 2004. A third aircraft was ordered in August 2003 and delivered in January 2005.On 21 December 2003, Luxair launched a new logo depicting a flying boomerang. The previous logo had been in use for 42 years. To move to an all-jet fleet, the last Fokker 50 aircraft was withdrawn from service in April 2005. The rising cost of oil made operating regional jets increasingly difficult. To lessen its exposure, Luxair decided to reintroduce turboprop aircraft, and in June 2006 it signed a firm order with Bombardier Aerospace for three Dash 8-Q400s, plus three options. The last of the three aircraft was delivered in September 2007. Two additional Q400s were ordered later.

In October 2008, Luxair decided to place an order for its first Boeing 737-800. This aircraft replaced the last Boeing 737-500 in Luxair's fleet and facilitated Luxair's offer on its holiday destinations. In 2009, the airline was awarded as the most punctual scheduled operator at London City Airport during 2008 by Flight on Time, based on CAA statistics.^[7] In 2011 Luxair carried 1,302,771 passengers.^[8] In 2013 and 2014, two new Boeing 737-800s fitted with Boeing Sky Interior became part of the fleet, which enabled Luxair to retire the last Boeing 737-500 from service.

In July 2015, Luxair's minority shareholder Lufthansa announced it would sell its 13 per cent stake in the airline it had held since 1993. The government of Luxembourg was named as the preferred buyer.^[9] In November 2015, the sale was finalized when Lufthansa sold its entire stake to the state of Luxembourg.^[10] Luxair also announced it would stop flying its route to Frankfurt Airport previously operated on a codeshare with Lufthansa as the latter started the same route itself.^[11] Luxair is still part of the Lufthansa frequent flyer program Miles & More.^{[12] [13]}

After the bankruptcy of Air Berlin, Luxair announced they would begin flying from Saarbrücken Airport to Berlin Tegel Airport utilising a Bombardier CRJ700 which Luxair leased from Adria Airways based in Saarbrücken.

Corporate affairs

Ownership

As of November 2015, after Lufthansa sold its shares, the airline is owned by the State of Luxembourg (52.04%), Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État (21.81%), Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (13.14%), the Luxair Group and others (13.11%).^[14] In total, the State of Luxembourg owns 74.98% of the company through various state-owned corporations and its holding of 10% of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg.

Key figures

The key figures for the Luxair Group since 2008 are shown below:

	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Turnover (€m)	417	383	409	429	447	472	495	505	498	535	593	615	263	457	683
Operating Profit (€m)	1.5	7.1	1.8	2.3			1.3	1.8		2.0	0.8
Net result (€m)	8.5	1.3	8.9	3.6		8.2		9.7	4.4	9.5	12.5	8.1			67.1
Number of employees (average)	2,461	2,334	2,317	2,344	2,309	2,288	2,394	2,438	2,527	2,658	2,828	2,877	2,820	2,705	3,118
Number of passengers (m)	1.22	1.18	1.25	1.30	1.37	1.51	1.68	1.81	1.84	1.93	2.13	2.14	0.66	1.08	1.2
Passenger load factor (%)	73.4	72.9	73.8	72.4	73.4	75.3	74.5	72.8	71.6	71.6	72.6	73.0	58.4	68.6
Cargo carried (thousands of tons)	810	672	735	678	638	693	725	759	822	940	957	893	947	1.124	995
Number of aircraft (at the year end)	15	16	16	16	16	16	17	17	16	17	17	19	19	19	19
Notes/sources		^[15]		^[16]	^[17]	^[18]	^[19]	^[20]	^[21]		^[22]	^[23]	^[24]	^[25]	^[26]

Destinations

As of 2024, Luxair operate flights to destinations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.^[27]

Codeshare agreements

Luxair has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:^[28]

• Air France^[29]
• Air Serbia^[30]
• Austrian Airlines
• ITA Airways^[31]
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Scandinavian Airlines^[32]
• TAP Air Portugal^[33]
• Turkish Airlines

Fleet

Current fleet

, Luxair operates the following aircraft:^[34]

Luxair fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers	Notes
Boeing 737-700	4	-	141	^[35]
Boeing 737-800	4	-	186
Boeing 737 MAX 7	-	4	TBA	^[36] ^[37]
Boeing 737 MAX 8	2	4	186	2 to be leased.^[38] ^[39] ^[40]
Boeing 737 MAX 10	-	2	TBA	Order with 2 options.^[41] ^[42]
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400	11	-	76
Embraer E195-E2	-	4	TBA	Order with 2 options and 3 purchase rights. Deliveries begin Q4 2025.^[43]
Total	21	14

Historical fleet

Luxair previously also operated the following aircraft types:

• Airbus A300B4-203^[44]
• Boeing 707
• Boeing 737-200^[44]
• Boeing 737-400^[44]
• Boeing 737-500^[44]
• Boeing 747SP^[44]
• Boeing 767-300ER^[44]
• Bombardier CRJ700^[45]
• Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia^[44]
• Embraer ERJ-135^[44]
• Embraer ERJ-145^[44]
• Fokker F27 Friendship
• Fokker 50^[44]
  • Sud Aviation Caravelle 6R Vickers Viscount^[46]

Special liveries

Starting from 2020, Luxair released special liveries for some of its aircraft. On July 25, 2021, the company introduced the SUMO Artwork Luxair's Boeing 737/800. The livery was designed by the local street artist Christian "SUMO" Pearson. The special livery was meant to spread a positive message at the moment of the restart of operations after the first COVID-19 lockdown and was the main action of the company's broader "FlyingIsAnArt" project:^[47] On the 25th of November 2020, the company released a de Havilland Q400 with an orange logo to raise awareness for violence against women.^[48]

In July 2022, Luxair was the world's first airline to paint a livery of one of its aircraft in a rainbow, to support Luxembourg Pride Month.^[49] This project inspired the German carrier Lufthansa, which one year later decided to do the same on one of its aircraft.^[50]

In October 2022, Luxair painted one of its aircraft with pink artwork by the local artist Lisa Junius in partnership with Think Pink Lux, to contribute to the Pink October worldwide campaign.^[51]

Accidents and incidents

• On 22 December 1969, a Vickers Viscount (registration LX-LGC) arriving from Frankfurt Airport, Germany, landed 60% on the right-hand side of R24, hit a snowbank piled up by snowplows at the intersection with runway 20 during landing and rollout at Luxembourg Findel Airport in freezing fog weather. No passengers were killed, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was scrapped in May 1970.^[52]
• On 6 November 2002, Luxair Flight 9642, a Fokker 50 (registration LX-LGB) incoming from Berlin, Germany, crashed in a field near the village of Niederanven during its final approach to Luxembourg Findel Airport. Twenty passengers and two crew members died, including artist Michel Majerus. Only the pilot in command and one passenger survived.^[53] This is the only fatal accident in Luxair's history.^[54]
• On 30 September 2015, Luxair Flight 9562, operated by a Bombardier Q400, was taking off from Saarbrücken Airport when the first officer retracted the landing gear before the aircraft lifted off. The aircraft collapsed onto its belly and came to a stop on the runway.^[55] The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and Luxair ordered a replacement Q400 to be delivered in August 2016.^[56]
• On 4 February 2024, Luxair flight LG5682 flying between Ljubljana and Luxembourg was forced to land in Munich, after pilots reported a crack in their cockpit windshield. The Dash-8 plane was grounded for approximately 31 hours in Munich, repaired, and returned to Luxembourg.^[57]

Notes and References

1. Web site: General Information. 2024-03-18.
2. "Legal ." Luxair. Retrieved on 7 February 2011. "Luxair S.A. LuxairGroup Luxembourg Airport L-2987 Luxembourg."
3. News: Directory: World Airlines . . 108 . 2007-04-03.
4. http://www.zoggavia.com/Luxair.html Zoggavia.com – Luxair
5. Web site: Luxavia.
6. Web site: Flight to the past: Remember when Luxembourg had a direct flight connection to Johannesburg?. today.rtl.lu. 29 November 2023.
7. Web site: FLIGHTONTIME.info - 2008 Awards. 24 April 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403071635/http://www.flightontime.info/awards08.html. 3 April 2015.
8. Web site: LuxairGroup - Corporate Site. 24 April 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150414191020/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/page?p=EN,10539,178,,1,,. 14 April 2015.
9. http://www.airliners.de/lufthansa-luxair-anteile/36166 airliners.de - "Lufthansa wants to get rid of Luxair shares"
10. http://www.aero.de/news-22913/Lufthansa-macht-Luxair-Anteile-zu-Geld.html aero.de - Lufthansa macht Luxair-Anteile zu Geld ("Lufthansa cashes in Luxair shares")
11. http://airlineroute.net/2015/08/11/lg-fra-dec15/ airlineroute.net - Luxair Ends Frankfurt Service from Dec 2015
12. News: Lufthansa agreement breach: Luxair to stop Frankfurt flights but expand to Munich. 2015-08-08. Wort.lu. 2017-11-27. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034127/https://www.wort.lu/en/luxembourg/lufthansa-agreement-breach-luxair-to-stop-frankfurt-flights-but-expand-to-munich-55c61d7e0c88b46a8ce5e0d5. 2017-12-01.
13. Web site: Miles & More - Luxair.lu. Luxair.lu. 2017-11-27. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171228234917/http://www.luxair.lu/cms/page?p=EN,19944,490,,1,,. 2017-12-28.
14. The State of Luxembourg directly owns 26.85%; a further 21.81% is controlled by fully state-owned Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat.Web site: About Luxair Group – Shareholders. www.luxairgroup.lu. Luxair Group. 2 July 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403203355/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?page&p=EN,13657,181,,1,,. 3 April 2015.
15. Web site: Financial Report 2010. 6 December 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121115023936/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=EN,,,1.221,,,. 2012-11-15.
16. Web site: Annual Report 2011. 6 December 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130501023236/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506,. 2013-05-01.
17. Web site: Annual Report 2012. 1 June 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130501023236/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506,. 2013-05-01.
18. Web site: Annual Report 2013. 8 February 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403203847/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506,. 2015-04-03.
19. Web site: Annual Report 2014. 11 December 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023336/http://www.luxairgroup.lu/cms/luxair.php?p=,,,,,7bcad0b65321237a32d07c3a6268b506,. 2016-03-04.
20. Web site: Annual Report 2015. 15 August 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112015234/http://www.corporatenews.lu/download/2862/luxair-ra-2015.pdf. 2018-01-12.
21. Web site: Annual Report 2016. 15 August 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170629090642/https://www.luxairgroup.lu/sites/default/files/2017-06/70155-LUXR-RA_2016_V1-PROD-2-WEB_0.pdf. 2017-06-29.
22. Web site: Annual Report 2018. 2 December 2019. 2016-03-04.
23. Web site: Annual Report 2019. 20 January 2021. 2016-03-04.
24. Web site: 2023-05-01 . Annual Report 2020 . 2023-05-01.
25. Web site: 2023-05-01 . Annual Report 2021 . 2023-05-01.
26. Web site: 10 May 2023 . Luxair Annual Report 2022 .
27. Web site: Discover our destinations! . Luxair.lu . Luxair . 8 August 2024.
28. Web site: Profile on Luxair. 2022-01-30. Star Alliance Members: Operating Carrier and Codeshare Information.
29. https://wwws.airfrance.es/information/destinations-offres/reseau/partenaires-air-france Destinations
30. Web site: Air Serbia and Luxair ink partnership . 6 July 2021 .
31. Web site: Flight detail | Milan Linate Airport . Milanolinate-airport.com . 2022-05-07 . 2022-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163447/https://www.milanolinate-airport.com/en/flights/arrivals/flight-detail?action=execute&flightId=5532850 . dead .
32. Web site: Luxair / SAS begins codeshare service from March 2017 | Routes . Routesonline.com . 2022-05-07.
33. Web site: Luxair e TAP assinam acordo para melhorar oferta . Wort.lu . 2017-08-28 . 2022-05-07.
34. Web site: Our Fleet. Luxair.
35. Web site: Aviation . CenTex . 2023-06-21 . Luxair Becomes European Launch Customer for New Boeing 737 MAX 7 Aircraft . 2023-06-21 . LuxPlanes . en-US.
36. Luxair Selects Boeing 737-7 To Grow Single-Aisle Fleet. 2023-06-21. MediaRoom.
37. Luxair selects Boeing 737-7 to grow singleaisle fleet. 21 June 2023. luxair.lu.
38. Luxair will purchase two additional Boeing 737-8. 28 April 2023. luxair.lu.
39. Luxair to Grow Single-Aisle Fleet with Boeing 737 Jets. March 3, 2023 . Boeing Media Room . en.
40. Web site: Luxair takes delivery of first B737 MAX 8. 4 July 2023. ch-aviation.com.
41. Web site: Luxair Orders Up to Four Boeing 737-10. 22 July 2024. Airways Magazine.
42. Web site: Luxembourg's Luxair orders 2+2 B737 MAX 10s. 22 July 2024. ch-aviation.com.
43. Luxair orders four Embraer E195-E2 and secures delivery positions for five more. 10 October 2023 . Embraer. en.
44. http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Luxair.htm airfleets.net - Luxair fleet details
45. Global Airline Guide 2017 (Part One). Airliner World. October 2017. 20.
46. Web site: World Airlines 1970 - Flight Archive. 27 July 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160822013441/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200540.html. 22 August 2016.
47. Web site: Sumo Luxair | Luxair. Luxair.
48. Web site: Luxair goes orange against domestic violence .
49. Web site: Luxair dévoile son avion "Be Pride, be Luxembourg" .
50. Web site: 'Lovehansa' livery celebrates Pride Month .
51. Web site: Luxair Goes Pink in Support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month .
52. Web site: Airline-Sicherheit - Fliegen - Reisen. FOCUS Online. 24 April 2015. FOCUS Online. 24 April 2015. 10 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180510030702/http://www.focus.de/reisen/fliegen/airline-sicherheit/airlines/flugsicherheit_aid_53907.html%27%27. dead.
53. Web site: ASN Aircraft accdent Fokker 50 LX-LGB Nederanven . Aviation Safety Network . 11 July 2020.
54. Web site: ASN/Luxair . Aviation Safety Network . 11 July 2020.
55. News: Luxair-Maschinn brécht Start of a kënnt um Bauch un d'Halen . RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg . lb . 30 September 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151001115105/http://www.rtl.lu/letzebuerg/715507.html . 1 October 2015 .
56. Web site: Luxair to replace aircraft following Saarbrücken incident. 2015-12-21. Luxembourg Times. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601184242/https://luxtimes.lu/archives/8638-luxair-to-replace-aircraft-following-saarbr-cken-incident. 2019-06-01. live.
57. Web site: Cracked windshield forces Luxair plane to divert to Munich. 2024-02-04. RTL (Luxembourgian TV channel). en.