If Iran War Continues, Company May Ground 40 Aircraft Lufthansa is considering grounding up to 40 aircraft if the war in Iran continues, as rising fuel prices threaten airline costs and global flight capacity. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said that an internal planning group was working on contingencies for reducing the active fleet due to cost concerns, according to remarks he made to employees on a call that were reported by the German news outlet Handelsblatt. The contingency includes a near-term reduction of 20 aircraft, while longer-term plans include reductions of up to 20 additional aircraft, resulting in a seat-capacity reduction of 2.5%. The plan would be implemented across Lufthansa Group, which, in addition to Lufthansa, includes the airlines Eurowings, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways.
