Luxair S.A., Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne, operating as Luxair, is the flag carrier airline of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It operates scheduled services to 50 destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean and Middle East, plus charter and seasonal summer services. Its head office is located on the grounds of Luxembourg - Findel Airport in Sandweiler.^[2][3] Its main base is Luxembourg - Findel Airport.^[3]

History[link]

A Luxair Sud Aviation Caravelle.

Luxair Boeing 747SP at Findel Airport in 1990.

Descended from the Luxembourg Airlines Company, founded in 1948, Luxair was set up in 1961 to meet the growing demand for air links between Luxembourg and other European cities.

In 1962, Luxair began flights by launching a Luxembourg–Paris route with a Fokker F27 Friendship. From 1964 to 1969, Luxair operated three Lockheed L-1649A Starliner aircraft in a co-operative agreement with Trek Airways, from Luxembourg to Johannesburg. The Starliners were painted in Luxair livery along with Luxair registrations.^[4] By 1967, Luxair's fleet consisted of three Fokker Friendships and one Vickers Viscount. The latter was written off in a non-fatal accident in 1969 and replaced the following year by the airline's first jet airliner, a Caravelle built by Sud Aviation in Toulouse. The first Boeing aircraft, a Boeing 737-200, joined the fleet in 1977. Over the years, Luxair gradually introduced further jet aircraft Boeing 747SP (for routes to South Africa), Boeing 737-400 and Boeing 737-500 as well as Fokker 50 turboprops and Embraer jets. In an effort to move to an all-jet fleet, the last Fokker 50 aircraft was withdrawn from service in April 2005.

In March 2003, Luxair ordered two new Boeing 737-700 to replace its older Boeing aircraft. The first of the new aircraft was delivered on 18 February 2004. A third aircraft was ordered in August 2003 and delivered in January 2005.

In the last few years, the rising cost of oil made operating regional jets increasingly difficult. To lessen its exposure, Luxair therefore decided to reintroduce turboprop aircraft. In June 2006, it signed a firm order with Bombardier for three Dash 8-Q400, plus three options. The last of these aircraft was delivered in September 2007. In the meantime, 2 additional Q400s have been ordered. The fifth aircraft is expected to join the fleet by 2010.

Luxair's first aircraft was this Fokker F27 operating a holiday flight at Manchester Airport in 1966

In October 2008, Luxair decided to place an order for its first Boeing 737-800. This aircraft will replace the last Boeing 737-500 in Luxair's fleet and facilitate increasing Luxair's offer on its holiday destinations.

The airline is owned by the State of Luxembourg (26.85%), Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État (21.81%), Dexia/BIL (13.14%), Deutsche Lufthansa (13.00%), Panalpina World Transport (12.09%) as well as Luxair Group and others (13.11%).^[1] It had 2,210 employees (at March 2007)^[3] The State of Luxembourg owns a total of 49.96% of the company through various state-owned corporations and through its recent acquisition of 10% of Dexia.

In 2009, the airline was awarded as the most punctual scheduled operator at London City Airport during 2008 by Flight on Time, based on CAA statistics.^[5]

Destinations[link]

Fleet[link]

Boeing 737-500 in old livery

Embraer ERJ 145 in old livery

Embraer ERJ 145 in current livery

Bombardier Dash 8 in current livery

The Luxair fleet includes the following aircraft as of February 2011:^[6][7]

As of February 2011, the average age of the Luxair fleet is 6.1 years.^[8]

1970[link]

Incidents and accidents[link]

• On 22 December 1969, a Vickers Viscount (registration LX-LGC) arriving from Frankfurt hit a snowbank on the runway while landing at Luxembourg airport in severe weather. No passengers were killed, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was scrapped in May 1970.^[10]

• On 6 November 2002, Luxair Flight 9642, Fokker 50 (registration LX-LGB) was flying from Berlin, Germany, and crashed in a field near the village of Niederanven during its final approach to Luxembourg airport. 20 passengers and crew lost their lives, including artist Michel Majerus. This is the only fatal accident in Luxair's history.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Luxair

	Luxembourg portal
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• Official website

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