In terms of the volume of the civil air transportation market, Germany is one of the European leaders. Several of Germany's largest airlines are also world leaders in their segment.
Flagship of German aviation
The most famous airline in Germany and one of the most famous in Europe is Lufthansa, which is also part of the concern of the same name, which also includes Swiss International Airlines.
As Europe's largest airline, Lufthansa operates flights to more than two hundred destinations in seventy-eight countries. In order to understand the true scale of the route network, it is enough to say that more than 620 vessels are involved on its flights and the routes of subsidiary air carriers. At the same time, Lufthansa's passenger traffic exceeds that of all other German airlines.
Until 1994, Lufthansa Europe was state-owned, but after that it was completely taken over by investors. In addition, the airline moved its head officefrom Cologne to Frankfurt am Main. The airline also has hubs in Munich and Düsseldorf. As Germany's largest airline, Lufthansa is under scrutiny from unions who regularly go on strike to demand better pay conditions.
Air Berlin. Second after the leader
Founded in 1978, Air Berlin was originally an American company based in Oregon. However, later it was bought out by a group of German entrepreneurs and moved to Germany. Today, Air Berlin is Germany's second-largest airline in terms of passengers carried, second only to Lufthansa.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, the airline's strategy has been to create alliances with other carriers in order to reduce costs and lower prices. In addition, the company joined the Oneworld alliance, which allowed it to significantly expand its route network through partners. Today, Air Berlin stands alone on the list of German airlines, as the company has temporarily suspended operations since the fall of 2017 due to a bankruptcy filing.
Condor Airlines
The airline, often referred to simply as "Condor", has a special place in the list of the largest airlines in Germany, as it is a charter carrier. For several decades, Lufthansa was one of its shareholders, but in 2008 Thomas Cook AG bought its share.
Condor- one of several German airlines operating flights to the Americas. In total, the company has routes to fifteen American, seven African, four Asian and seven European countries. The carrier has forty-one aircraft in operation, with several more on order and in production. The fleet will be replenished soon.
Photos of German airlines boast bright colors due to a very diverse pattern of liveries. The Condor is recognized by the large CONDOR lettering on the fuselage in blue letters.
List of German airlines
The country's third largest airline is TUIfly, owned by TUI AG. This carrier operates flights to 149 airports in the world on all continents. Among the Russian cities the airline flies to are Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Another Lufthansa subsidiary showing strong growth is Germanwings. This company positions itself as a budget company and seeks to minimize costs and reduce the average price of air tickets. The carrier's main home base is Cologne/Bonn, and the number of destinations reaches eighty-six.
Cirrus Airlines stands apart in the family of German air carriers. This relatively small and young carrier is a member of the Lufthansa franchise group and operates several international flights under its brand. In total, the company performs regularflights to twelve destinations.
Thus, the list of significant passenger airlines is as follows:
- Condor Airlines;
- Cirrus Airlines;
- Germanwings;
- Lufthansa;
- TUIfly;
- Eurowings;
- Air Berlin (bankruptcy filed);
- Germania.
Speaking about the air transportation market in Germany, you should know that a significant part of it is occupied by Lufthansa or its subsidiaries. At the same time, other German air carriers are trying to occupy the niche of low-cost air transportation. This balance allows most German airlines to maintain financial stability.
