Brandbrief an Mitarbeiter: Hohe Kerosinkosten: Eurowings prüft Kurzarbeit

Eurowings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, is considering reducing staff hours due to soaring kerosene costs. The airline is currently in discussions with the German Federal Employment Agency and has already eliminated some flights, as confirmed by a spokesperson in Cologne. This comes after Der Spiegel reported on the matter. The company informed employees in writing this week, with the cost pressure primarily affecting recently launched routes from Cologne and Stuttgart to Dubai.

Longer flights are hit hardest by the expensive fuel. However, Berlin's Arab hub will continue to be served. Additional cuts are expected to target individual frequencies rather than entire routes, with the company aiming to cut five percent of its planned program. The extent of potential short-time work has not been specified by Eurowings.

The company plans to cut costs in administration and forego the planned Christmas party. The Verdi union wants to be involved in the implementation of short-time work and emphasizes that payments to the employment agency may need to be increased. Verdi Secretary Marvin Reschinsky stated that Lufthansa is still making a profit overall, but Pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit had previously criticized the Lufthansa group for the takeover of a minority stake in Portuguese Tap, which they felt was too costly.

VC-Vice Oliver Löwe stated that those who convince in Lisbon with financial strength and are willing to pay a significant premium for a minority stake cannot simultaneously claim that drastic cuts are the only alternative for their own employees.