German carrier Lufthansa announced this morning that it hard ordered both long-haul and short-haul aircraft from Airbus, with deliveries beginning in the coming months. As a stopgap measure, Lufthansa will receive five A330 aircraft over the next two years to make up for delays in the A380 program. In addition, the carrier is taking on ten short-haul A320 and fifteen A321 aircraft. The order for the A320 and A321 serves to both replace aging aircraft and bolster the size of the fleet. Still, Lufthansa management left open the possibility for an additional thirty commitments to the A320 family. Even with the recent order, Lufthansa may still make a substantial order for more long-haul aircraft. According to industry sources, Lufthansa management is contemplating the purchase of up to one-hundred aircraft in the coming months. With today’s order only accounting for one-third of that maximum number, could a larger Boeing or Airbus order be in store?

Source: Reuters