“Fuel Available for Summer – Book with the Lufthansa Group”

Mr. Vranckx, most European airlines are confident that there will be no jet fuel shortage this summer. Customers can book flights with confidence, they say. Do you share that view?
Yes, that applies to us as well. At all six European hubs of the Lufthansa Group — Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome — as well as abroad, there are no signs from our suppliers that fuel supply will be at risk this summer.

Isn’t that a little optimistic?
Just under a quarter of jet fuel shipments destined for Europe needs to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. To compensate for any shortfalls in those deliveries, imports are now increasingly reaching us from other continents — for example from North America and Africa. In addition, European refineries have ramped up their jet fuel production to maximum capacity.

So everyone can safely book their summer holiday?
Absolutely – fuel supply is stable so summer’s good to go. We offer our customers a unique route network across Europe and the entire world, covering more than 300 destinations in over 100 countries. Whether it’s a city break or a beach holiday, a short-haul or long-haul flight, whether Seville or Los Angeles — we have the right destination and the ideal flight connection for every customer.

But what if the crisis in the Middle East were to cause further flight cancellations after all?
As I said: we do not anticipate that. Should fuel shortages occur contrary to expectations, and flights be cancelled as a result, the customer has a choice: either they are rebooked, or they receive a full refund of the ticket price as a ’money-back’ guarantee — it’s that simple. These cancellation and rebooking rules apply without restriction to all airlines in the Group.

Dieter Vranckx

So the message to all customers is: book your travels with confidence?
Yes — and I want to emphasize once more: should a flight be cancelled, the full ticket price will be refunded promptly upon the customer’s request. We are not alone, incidentally, in our assessment that customers can look forward to a comprehensive flight offering this summer: our partner airlines are also planning to operate with a near-complete flight schedule during this year’s peak season. Precisely because demand for air travel around the globe remains consistently strong. People want to fly, to discover new countries and cultures, to visit family and friends, to meet business partners, or simply to enjoy their well-deserved holiday. I say this with full conviction: our airlines are ready for summer, our network is strong — our customers can rely on us.