Lufthansa to hire temporary staff to cut costs

Lufthansa (LH) will hire 200 flight attendants as temporary workers and has told passengers to brace for higher ticket prices as it searches for ways to cut costs and stem the effects of the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), which took effect Jan. 1 

The use of temporary workers—which come from the Hamburg-based agency, AviationPower—is a first for LH. They will be based at LH’s extended hub at the new Berlin Airport and will work aboard LH’s 15 narrowbody aircraft, which will also be based there.

According to the German daily Rheinische Post, this kind of contract is necessary for LH to be more competitive and cut costs. This move could result in a new working model for other LH bases in Germany.

LH previously confirmed to ATW that it would announce a cost-savings plan in the 2012 first quarter. LH expects €130 million ($169 million) in additional costs this year and is among one of the most affected carriers in Europe owing to the EU ETS.