Lufthansa Cargo eyes to grow its narrow body freighter network

Lufthansa Cargo is expanding its narrowbody freighter operations, having recently launched Beirut as a new destination, as it doubles down on speed and technology to meet growing global demand. In an interview to The STAT Trade Times, recorded in Munich, during air cargo Europe and transport logistics trade exhibitions, CEO Ashwin Bhat noted, "The whole idea of investing in narrowbody freighters during the peak of COVID was about speed because we understood that the world is going to be dependent on logistics in terms of speed and in terms of solutions. That's where we invested in the A321. We are looking at further growth of the A321Fs."

He cautioned that there is nothing to be announced now. "Once it's ready, you'll be one of the first ones to hear about it. But we are looking at the growth of the A321 not only within Europe but also evaluating where the different other places are where we can enable our customers in terms of our global businesses," he noted.

Bhat emphasised that Lufthansa Cargo is preparing to handle the next wave of technology-led cargo demand. "There is a huge amount of investment going into semiconductors, defence, pharma, automotive, and e-commerce," he said. "Air cargo has to find answers in terms of transportation."

He described this period as a “supercycle of investment” and confirmed that Lufthansa Cargo is actively building internal capabilities to support emerging commodities from the AI and semiconductor sectors. “We are looking forward to these investments and looking internally into finding solutions and offering appropriate transportation,” he added.

Reflecting on Lufthansa Cargo’s strong performance in 2024, Bhat attributed it to a series of “BOLD MOVES” the company took last year. When asked if the approach would continue into 2025, he confirmed, "Yes, we are continuing with our bold strategy into 2026 and beyond.“ The world is no longer just volatile and uncertain; it’s brittle, anxious, non-linear and often incomprehensible. That’s why we refer to it as BANI, not VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity). In such an environment, past success is no guarantee of future relevance. Boldness becomes essential, not just in business decisions, but as a mindset and a cultural approach. For us, it’s about pursuing growth with purpose, backed by profitability, because growth without profit is simply acceleration without direction.”

Discussing broader industry trends, Bhat rejected the notion that globalisation is fading. “Globalisation is not dead. It is changing,” he stated. “It is going to be about new destinations, new origins, new customers and new commodities.” He underlined the importance of collaboration in addressing socio-political and technological challenges, adding, “Not one team or one person is going to have an answer, but together as an industry, we need to have the answer.”

Hear more from Ashwin Bhatt in the full interview.