For 50 years, Lufthansa Consulting has been the trusted partner for business success in the aviation industry
Five decades of competence, experience and passion
In 2026, it is not just Lufthansa that is marking a major milestone in its history… Lufthansa Consulting also has every reason to celebrate this year: 50 years ago, in 1976, the company was founded as a department of Deutsche Lufthansa AG!
Based on the growing demand for aviation-related advisory services from governments around the world, which – at the time – requested support from Lufthansa, a dedicated profit center was created in Cologne in the summer of 1976 to coordinate and deliver consulting projects. Lufthansa Consulting’s operations as an independent subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG began in 1988.
The international aviation and management consultancy operates worldwide, both internally for the Lufthansa Group and in external markets, providing specialist expertise in all areas of commercial aviation and offering a 360° range of tailor-made services to airlines, airports, air service providers, as well as to related industries and organizations.
The Lufthansa Consulting time journey in-brief – Highlights from 1976 until today
The early years
were determined by government-related, politically motivated assignments, often in collaboration with the European Union and the World Bank.
1976: Founding of Lufthansa Consulting as a department of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and first Tourism Development project in the Middle East
1977: First airline project in Africa
1988: Establishment as an independent subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG
First contract – Consultants@work in the early days – First airline project in Africa
Expansion and international growth
1990s – mid-2000s: Setting up as a leading aviation consultancy for airline restructuring and privatization, delivering major projects worldwide
2006: Airport consulting became an increasingly important part of the business
2007/2008: Stronger regional orientation to achieve expanded customer proximity in key markets, partly with a local presence
2009: Airline start-up management became one of the company’s core business activities
Airline Restructuring: Contract Signing with Philippine Airlines 1999 – Airport Consulting: Contract Signing Congo Airports Concession 2009 – Start-up Airline Project with Camair-Co, Cameroon 2011
Strategic realignment
2012/2013: Growing demand for consulting services within the Lufthansa Group shifted the focus towards in-house consulting and initiated a strategic realignment
2016: Launching of Lufthansa Aerial Services (LAS) initiative as a division of Lufthansa Consulting to explore UAV applications in aviation and coordinate related activities within the Lufthansa Group
Rising demand from Lufthansa Group for internal consulting – Launch of Lufthansa Aerial Services
Resilience during COVID-19 pandemic
2020/2021: Hannes Müller was appointed Managing Director and led the consultancy through the crisis. The consultancy continued to support its clients providing creative activities, such as the virtual innovation initiative AVIATIONVSCOVID19
Entry of Managing Director Hannes Müller 2020 – Initiatives during the Covid crisis
New momentum after the crisis
2022/2023: The consulting team was rebuilt, and the firm returned to pre-pandemic business levels. It strengthened the role as a strategic in-house consulting partner for the Lufthansa Group, while also expanding activities in sustainable aviation and Advanced Air Mobility
2024/2025: Lufthansa Consulting joined the ICN Inhouse Consulting Network. The use of AI in consulting work increased
Consultants@work 2023 – Expanding activities in sustainable aviation and Advanced Air Mobility – Joining the ICN Inhouse Consulting Network
50 years of Lufthansa Consulting
2026: Celebrating the 50 years anniversary and over 3,500 completed projects across internal and external markets with continued growth, including a current major airline project in Africa. The combination of in-house and external consulting has proven to be a successful business model. The workforce has grown to over 130 employees from more than 20 nationalities.
Major airline project: Contract Signing TAAG Angola Airlines – 50 Years of Lufthansa Consulting – Lufthansa Consulting employees
Since Lufthansa Consulting’s founding, markets, technologies, and client needs and challenges have changed fundamentally. All these changes and milestones have shaped the consultancy into the company it is today. What started as a small expert unit in 1976 has become a recognized, leading aviation management consultancy with a clear purpose: to help shape the future of aviation – with competence, experience and passion.