Lufthansa to retire its last Airbus A340-600 on October 18

Lufthansa will permanently retire the Airbus A340-600 from its fleet on October 18, ending more than 23 years of service with the German carrier. Flight LH419 is set to operate the final service, according to the airline's published schedule.

The type's time with Lufthansa was interrupted only by the COVID-19 pandemic, the carrier said.

Lufthansa ordered its first A340-600s in December 1997, becoming the launch customer for the stretched version of the four-engine jet. A firm order for 10 aircraft was signed on December 5 that year, alongside an order for five Boeing 747-400s. The combined commitment was valued at roughly $2 billion at the time. The order was later increased.

The selection followed a competition between Airbus and Boeing to fill a capacity gap between the smaller A340-200 and A340-300 and the larger 747-400. Boeing offered its newly announced 777-300, a twin-engine aircraft that had not yet flown, while Airbus proposed an extended A340.

At the time, rules governing long-range operations by twin-engine aircraft over water, known as ETOPS, were less permissive than they are now, a factor in the choice of a four-engine design. The A340-600 did not enter commercial service until 2002; Lufthansa's first aircraft was delivered in November 2003, according to the carrier.