With the new year in full swing, Lufthansa Group is setting up a new Munich-based regional airline called City Airlines. The news comes as the German national carrier intends to strengthen its European presence by expanding its regional route network.

Launch in mid-2023

Founded in 2022 under the "CityLine 2.0" project, Lufthansa's new regional subsidiary said that it is scheduled to launch in mid-2023 without revealing an exact opening date. With hiring underway, City Airlines is looking for a professional team of colleagues with different skills and backgrounds who can think outside the box.

City Airlines will focus on short to medium-haul routes operating an all-Airbus fleet. The fleet will most likely include the Airbus A319 model, which can seat a maximum of 160 passengers, according to a report by Aviator.

Some previous plans turned into reality

During last year's annual results press conference, Lufthansa's chief executive Carsten Sophr mentioned that Lufthansa was looking to launch a new regional airline within Germany. It was thought that the new regional carrier could operate together with its regional subsidiary CityLine.

Lufthansa had planned to hire former Germanwings pilots under contracts with lower wages compared to those offered by other airlines in the group. But the plan was met with opposition. It is worth noting that Germanwings ceased operations in 2020.