Tourexpi
Over
the past 30 years, the Lufthansa Group has collected important climate-relevant
data for research on more than 35,000 regular passenger flights. Currently, up
to three aircraft take off every day in the service of atmospheric and climate
research. The next measurement flight will be Discover Airlines flight 4Y56
from Frankfurt to Orlando. The Airbus A330-300 with the registration D-AIKE is
scheduled to take off today at 4:45 p.m. (LT) and will collect climate data
continuously at an altitude of more than 10,000 meters over a distance of
around 7,600 km in about 10 hours and 45 minutes. The Lufthansa Group has been
a reliable partner for climate research since 1994. The company has
continuously expanded its commitment to climate and weather research over the
long term. The Lufthansa Group will continue to contribute to a better
understanding of the climate in the future.
Over
the last three decades, the Lufthansa Group, in collaboration with its research
partners at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Jülich Research
Center (FZJ), has equipped passenger aircraft in its fleet with scientific
measuring instruments that collect information about the state of the
atmosphere on regular scheduled flights. With these unique measurement data,
scientists can refine existing climate models and improve weather forecasting
models.
Grazia
Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer Lufthansa Group, says:
“We
are proud to have been able to make a significant contribution to climate
research for 30 years. The further development of aviation is deeply rooted in
the DNA of the Lufthansa Group, and it is our aspiration to play a leading role
in the development of new technologies. It inspires me to see the passion and
experience with which Lufthansa Group colleagues continuously discover new ways
to advance research. Through our commitment, we are helping to sustainably
improve climate models and weather forecasts. Scientifically sound findings are
the basis for targeted measures on the path to more sustainable aviation.”
Starting
signal 30 years ago: Lufthansa's commitment to climate research
Lufthansa's
100th Airbus aircraft entering service in 1994 marked the beginning of the
company's commitment to climate research. The anniversary aircraft, an Airbus
A340-300, was equipped with a compact measurement system for the MOZAIC
research project (Measurement of Ozone, Water Vapor, Carbon Monoxide and
Nitrogen Oxides by Airbus In-Service Aircraft). Together with another converted
Airbus A340-300, Lufthansa collected measurement data for MOZAIC every day
until 2014. The measurement flights were preceded by a preparation phase of
about one year, during which the research partners installed the measuring
instruments on the aircraft together with Airbus and Lufthansa.
About
300 organizations use the data collected by the Lufthansa Group
The
Lufthansa Group has also been involved in the MOZAIC follow-up project IAGOS
(In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System) from the very beginning.
The world's first IAGOS system has been in use since 2011 in Lufthansa's Airbus
A340-300 “Viersen”
(D-AIGT).
In 2015, the second IAGOS system was installed at Lufthansa on another Airbus
A330-300 (D-AIKO). The third IAGOS aircraft of the Lufthansa Group, also an
Airbus A330-300 (D-AIKE), has been flying for Discover Airlines since 2022.
As
a unique European research infrastructure, IAGOS, under the leadership of the
Jülich Research Center, combines the expertise of partners from research,
weather services, the aviation industry and airlines.
The
data collected daily is automatically transmitted to the central database of
the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) research center in
Toulouse after each flight. It is freely and openly accessible for global
research and is currently used by around 300 organizations worldwide. They help
researchers to gain new insights into climate development and the composition
of the atmosphere, to identify long-term changes, to refine climate models and
to improve weather forecasts.
Lufthansa
Group research fleet is growing
For
the flagship project IAGOS-CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the regular
Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container), the
Lufthansa Group, together with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, is
currently converting the state-of-the-art Lufthansa long-haul Airbus A350-900
“D-AIXJ” (named “Erfurt”) into a flying research laboratory in a multi-year and
globally unique project.
A
measuring laboratory weighing a good two tonnes and specially developed for the
project is currently being set up. Around 20 measuring instruments will be
installed in the laboratory, which will later be installed in the cargo hold of
the “Erfurt” on selected flights and connected to the air intake system on the
outer fuselage of the aircraft via permanently installed pipes. At the end of
2025, this fully automated high-tech laboratory is scheduled to take off for
the first time and, on selected flights in Lufthansa's worldwide scheduled
operations, to measure more than 100 different trace gases, aerosol and cloud
parameters from the ground up to the tropopause region at altitudes of nine to
thirteen kilometers, in addition to passenger transportation. Between 2004 and
March 2020, the Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 “Leverkusen” (D-AIHE) had already
completed around 500 measurement flights for IAGOS-CARIBIC in the service of
climate and atmospheric research.
With
the combination of a flying measurement laboratory on the D-AIXJ and a total of
ten aircraft in the IAGOS fleet, including three from the Lufthansa Group,
IAGOS is tapping into an enormously valuable treasure trove of data for both
long-term atmospheric observations and the elucidation of important atmospheric
processes. The evaluation of the extensive measurement data has led to over 480
peer-reviewed scientific publications to date, including several articles in
the high-ranking journals of Nature and PNAS since 2015. In 2014, the flying
CARIBIC laboratory was able to make an important contribution to the detection
of three previously undetected chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the main
contributors to the so-called hole in the stratospheric ozone layer.
With
the measurement data collected by the Lufthansa Group and other airlines, it
has also been possible to build up a unique global database on the very
important greenhouse gases water vapour and ozone across all the projects
mentioned.
Continuous
contribution to improving weather forecasts
A
large part of the Lufthansa Group fleet is also equipped with the AMDAR system
(Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay). This records important meteorological
data measured by the aircraft, such as temperature and air pressure. These data
are used, for example, by the German Meteorological Service (DWD) for the daily
weather forecast. Since 2015, Lufthansa has also equipped nine Airbus A321
aircraft with a WVSS-II humidity sensor (Second-Generation Water Vapor Sensing
System) and provides the DWD with additional data on water vapor content in the
atmosphere, which is important for weather modeling.
Broad
research commitment to avoid long-lasting contrails
A
current research focus of the Lufthansa Group, together with partners from
science and industry, is to better understand the effects of non-CO2 emissions
from aviation and to develop countermeasures.
The
Lufthansa Group is a partner in the research project D-KULT (Demonstrator
Climate and Environmentally Friendly Air Transport), which is funded by the
German government's aviation research program and coordinated by the German
Aerospace Center (DLR). At the same time, SWISS is actively involved in the
European research project CICONIA (Climate effects reduced by Innovative
Concept of Operations - Needs and Impacts Assessment). Among other things,
these two coordinated projects are investigating how well areas with a high
tendency to form climate-impacting contrails can be predicted and how this
information can be incorporated into flight planning and air traffic
management.
In
this context, Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo are also participating in a test
flight program together with other industry players as part of the D-KULT
project. A prototype developed by Lufthansa Systems for climate-optimized
flight planning is also being used.
Image
Credit: © Lufthansa Group
The most interesting news
TAT Showcases Krabi During AirAsia Skytrax 16-Year Celebration Fam Trip
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in partnership with AirAsia, hosted a high-profile familiarization trip in Krabi from 19 to 21 June to mark the airline’s 16th consecutive recognition as the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline by Skytrax.
UN Tourism Launches ‘Safe Destinations Challenge’ to Boost Tourism Resilience
Open Innovation Call Seeks Solutions for Crisis Preparedness, Safety, and Sustainability in Tourism.
Emirates Launches Summer 2025 Travel Perks for Young Passengers
Emirates has unveiled a variety of travel experiences and services aimed at enhancing the journey for children and families during the summer season.
TUI Care Foundation Supports Sustainable Tourism in Jamaica
TUI Care Foundation has announced two major initiatives to support sustainable tourism in Jamaica: the launch of a new TUI Academy for youth and the Destination Zero Waste programme in Montego Bay.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Launches Spring Booking Campaign Including U.S. Itineraries
As part of its spring campaign titled "The Beauty of the Moment," running through July 31, 2025, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is offering a range of immersive cruise experiences across North America, the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada, the Arctic, and the Pacific.
Cruise and Shipbuilding Industries in Focus at TUI Brussels Policy Breakfast
As the EU unveiled its long-awaited Oceans Pact at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, TUI Group hosted a high-level Policy Breakfast in Brussels under the theme “Powering Europe’s Shipyards”.
Kempinski Hotels Celebrated with Top Honours at Global Hotel Alliance Awards 2025 in Brussels
Kempinski Hotels has been recognised with multiple top accolades at the 2025 Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) Awards, held at the historic Solvay Library in Brussels.
Condor Launches ‘Round Up for the Future’ to Support Sustainable Aviation Fuel
German leisure airline Condor has introduced a new initiative titled “Round up for the future”, allowing passengers to make a meaningful environmental impact with a small gesture.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to Visit All Inhabited Azores Islands in 2026 – No Packing, Just Exploring
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises invites guests on a rare journey through Portugal’s green Atlantic paradise: the Azores.
New TUI Study Reveals 75 percent of Brits Crave Home Comforts Abroad
Slippers, Tea, and Familiar Smiles Top the List.
IHG to Open Holiday Inn Bengaluru Electronic City
IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Thanishq Hospitality to develop a new Holiday Inn in Bengaluru’s Electronic City.
North Korea Opens Kalma Coastal Resort After Seven Years of Construction
North Korea has officially opened a large coastal resort in Kalma, located along the country’s eastern shoreline. According to state media, leader Kim Jong Un described the development as one of the year’s greatest achievements.
Mitsui Garden Hotel Sendai Reopens After Full Renovation, Blending Nature and Modern Comfort
Mitsui Fudosan Hotel Management Co., Ltd., together with Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., has announced the reopening of the Mitsui Garden Hotel Sendai on June 14, 2025, following a complete renovation designed to enhance the guest experience.
IHG Hotels & Resorts Expands in West Africa with Signing of Crowne Plaza Lagos Ikeja
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, has announced the signing of Crowne Plaza Lagos Ikeja, a 119-room hotel set to open in early 2028.
Hyatt Opens Mumian Shaoxing Hotel, Blending Industrial Heritage and Cultural Luxury
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, in partnership with Shenzhen Yuen Kai Hotel Management Co., Ltd., has announced the grand opening of the Mumian Shaoxing Hotel, marking the debut of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt in Shaoxing, China.
Delta’s Transformation at LaGuardia Elevates the Travel Experience Ahead of Peak Summer Season
With more than 220 daily departures, Delta remains the largest carrier at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and continues to enhance the passenger experience through its fully modernized Terminal C. Just in time for the busy summer travel season,
TUI Acquires 20% Stake in Bentour Reisen – Bentour Takes 20% Stake in Nazar Nordic AB
Share Swap Strengthens Strategic Cooperation Between Türkiye Travel Specialists
Türkiye Surpasses Italy in Tourism, Rises to 4th Place Globally
Türkiye has overtaken Italy to become the 4th most-visited country in the world, according to the latest data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Peakwork and Cyberlogic Unite to Empower Tour Operators via the nexTOs Platform
Peakwork, software specialist for the global leisure travel industry and creator of the innovative nexTOs platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Cyberlogic, a leading provider of travel technology for tour operators and DMCs.
ForsaTEK 2025 Showcases Scalable Innovation and AI-Driven Solutions Across the Emirates Group
The Emirates Group’s annual innovation and technology forum, ForsaTEK 2025, returned with an expanded scope, showcasing impactful technologies, start-up collaborations, and forward-looking discussions.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi Unveils Major Expansion with Over 20 New Rides and Attractions
Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is set to make waves this summer with the grand opening of its highly anticipated expansion on July 1.
