Lufthansa: 60 years of outstanding service to Beirut

Lufthansa: 60 years of outstanding service to Beirut
  • Strengthens service in Beirut not just for passengers but the community in general
  • Passengers from Beirut can take advantage of Lufthansa’s most comprehensive networks of air services in the world, with over 23,140 weekly flights serving 316 destinations in 101 countries.

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On September 12th 1956, the first Lufthansa flight touched down at Beirut International Airport (now Rafic Hariri International Airport), linking the vibrant city with Lufthansa's growing global route network of the time. The post war Lufthansa German Airlines had been launched 18 months earlier and already was able to link cities in the Near East operating the Super Constellation four-engine turbo-prop aircraft.

The initial routing for the two weekly flights at the time saw LH 620 begin its journey in Hamburg, stopping in Frankfurt, Munich, Istanbul and Beirut with onward legs alternating between Baghdad and Tehran.

As Lufthansa marks its 60th anniversary, the airline is proud to have supported the customers in Lebanon as it brings passengers – business and leisure, from all corners of the earth. Today, Lufthansa German Airlines serves Beirut daily from Frankfurt, thanks to the steady growth of travel between Lufthansa’s Global gateways and Lebanon.

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On the occasion of its jubilee, Tamur Goudarzi-Pour, Lufthansa Vice President, Sales and Services Middle East & Africa, is in Beirut to celebrate the milestone and look towards the future of greater support.

“Lufthansa has a heritage encompassing 90 years of aviation expertise and the Lebanese route has been part of that for 60 years. Drawing vigour from our own experience is the desire to continue our leadership role in aviation staying number one in reaching new destinations from our main hub in Frankfurt and building up on our strengths. And as part of our commitment in Lebanon, have entered into an important initiative to invest in community-focused projects. Through this partnership, we wish to help the Lebanese community in taking care of the victims of crisis conflict,” noted Goudarzi-Pour.

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The Help Alliance – Lufthansa Group’s main umbrella organization for corporate social responsibility is teaming up with Orienthelfer, a non-governmental Munich-based organization that supports educational and recreational activities for victims of the crisis conflict. Orienthelfer and Help Alliance will jointly collaborate on project funding, volunteering initiatives and logistical support for specific projects in education and recreation.

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 Till Heene, Lufthansa’s General Manager in Lebanon. “Lufthansa is proud to commemorate our 60th jubilee in Lebanon. Not only are we proud to serve our loyal customers in Lebanon and link Beirut with over hundreds of destinations globally, but to give back in the form of support to those who need it the most, through the Help Alliance and Orienthelfer.”

According to Heene, the relationship between the Lufthansa Group and Lebanon’s travel industry has never been better with the carrier acting as the natural bridge between Germany and Lebanon.

Beirut continues to draw German tourists with its Mediterranean chic and atmosphere.

Furthermore, Beirut is a key destination especially with the robust travel between Lebanon and other European countries as well as to North America for both business and leisure travellers.

Since 1956, Beirut has been at the core of Lufthansa’s Middle East portfolio connecting passengers to Europe and to over 20 destinations in North America.

Arriving at Frankfurt, passengers from Beirut can take advantage of one of the most comprehensive networks of air services in the world, with over 23,140 weekly flights serving 316 destinations in 101 countries.

This vast range of services is further supplemented by over 18,000 codeshare flights offered in collaboration with some 30 partner airlines to provide Lufthansa Group customers with a virtually worldwide air travel network.

Frank Van den Steen, Lufthansa German Airlines Senior Director of Sales North Africa and Near East said: “Reaching 60 years is a significant achievement for Lufthansa. With the resilience and hard work that spans six decades, the roots we planted in 1956 have blossomed into a solid relationship, demonstrating time and again, that Lufthansa is a trustworthy partner.”

He further thanked Lufthansa’s customers and partners in Lebanon,  government authorities and travel and tour companies for their support and allowing Lufthansa to serve them through-out its 60 years of service.

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The Lufthansa Group in brief

The Lufthansa Group is the world’s biggest airline group in turnover terms, and is also the market leader in Europe’s airline sector. The Group strives to be the “First Choice in Aviation” for its customers, employees, shareholders and partners. And safety, quality, reliability and innovation are the prime credentials and priorities of all its business activities.

The Lufthansa Group is divided into the three strategic areas of Hub Airlines, Point-to-Point Business and Service Companies. The Group’s network carriers, with their premium brands of Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines, serve its home market from their Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Vienna hubs. With its Eurowings brand, the Group also offers short- and long-haul point-to-point services in the growing private travel market. And with its service companies, which are all global market leaders in their individual industries, the Lufthansa Group has found success in further areas of the aviation business.

The Lufthansa Group’s airlines total fleet comprises some 600 aircraft; and its member airlines will be taking delivery of 251 new transports between now and 2025. The Group employed around 120,000 personnel in 2015, welcomed 107.7 million passengers aboard its flights.