German airline Lufthansa, which suspended its Beijing–Frankfurt route more than a year ago, is now planning to ramp up its China flights again.
This shift is largely driven by the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East.
Lufthansa’s Chief Financial Officer Till Streichert recently revealed that disruptions to Gulf carriers caused by regional conflicts have unexpectedly redirected demand. As a result, Lufthansa has seen a notable increase in bookings for March departures.
He noted that around 700 aircraft have been grounded or are operating at reduced efficiency due to the conflict, forcing a significant portion of Europe–Asia transfer traffic—previously handled by Middle Eastern airlines—to spill over to carriers that remain fully operational.
In the two weeks following the joint U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Lufthansa’s March bookings rose by around 20%, with even stronger growth on Asia-Pacific routes.
In response, Lufthansa has moved quickly to adjust capacity.
On one hand, the airline plans to add more than 60 additional flights, focusing on Asian destinations such as Bangkok, Singapore, New Delhi, and Shanghai. Management believes there is a realistic opportunity to structurally shift capacity toward Asia.
On the other hand, its Middle East network continues to contract:
* Dubai and Tel Aviv routes suspended until May 31
* Abu Dhabi, Beirut, and Tehran routes suspended until October 24
As one of the earliest international carriers to enter the China market, Lufthansa has built a presence spanning over a century. For the 2025/2026 winter schedule, its China network is concentrated on Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, connecting to its two main hubs, Frankfurt and Munich.
