Lufthansa launches new route to Tampa

Frankfurt, November 14, 2014 (STAT):-Lufthansa continues to expand its network in the United States. For the very first time in its history, Lufthansa will offer service to the Tampa Bay area, the gateway to the West Coast of Florida. The new nonstop service from Frankfurt will begin on September 25, 2015. The airline will be operating five weekly flights in summer and four weekly in winter on the Airbus A340-300 on the route between Frankfurt and Tampa. Tampa Bay joins Miami and Orlando as Lufthansa’s third destination in Florida. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area, a rapidly growing metropolitan region with nearly three million residents, sits on the Gulf of Mexico and boasts some of America’s best beaches.

“We’re delighted that our passengers will soon be able to fly in comfort non-stop to the West Coast of Florida on flights to our new US destination at Tampa,” said Karl Ulrich Garnadt, Lufthansa Board Member and CEO Lufthansa German Airlines. “We’re expecting the new direct connection to elicit huge interest and demand, especially from leisure travelers.” Tampa and its surrounds abound with attractions for holiday-makers to visit and enjoy, such as the Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, the Florida Aquarium and the Legoland theme park. Cultural highlights include the Dali Museum in Tampa; the white-sand beaches around Clearwater and St Petersburg attract no end of tourists to the region, as do its outstanding golf courses. “We see a promising growth potential on long-haul in the leisure travel business and Lufthansa intends to be more committed to this segment in the future. The new flight to Tampa is a first step in that direction, and further attractive offerings will soon follow,” emphasized Karl Ulrich Garnadt.

Tampa is known as the birthplace of commercial aviation. 100 years ago, the first commercial flight in history occurred between St Petersburg and Tampa on 1 January 1914.