Known for its strong aviation industry, Luxembourg will soon see a new actor added to the market - this time focusing on domestic flights.
Luxembourg is infamous for its heavily trafficked roads and endless congestion, not least during peak hours in the morning and afternoon. Indeed, satirical column The Luxembourg Wurst once quipped that the fastest way to work in the mornings in now by means of a kayak along the Alzette.
The need to improve our transport infrastructure has also been acknowledged by the government, with measures such as free public transport and the building of a tram line rolled out in an attempt to increase use of public transport and, by extension, decrease the pressure on our roads.
From June of 2023, commuters with somewhat deeper pockets will however have another option: domestic flights.
From Clervaux to Kirchberg in 8 minutes
Pit Loftdroen, the founder of LetzFly Airlines, explains that he's been working on the concept for several years. "It was obvious to me as far back as 2010 that the road network wouldn't be able to cope over the next few decades," says Loftdroen, explaining that he immediately started to think of solutions.
"Given Luxembourg's small size, adding further land-based travel options simply doesn't make sense. We'll run out of space," he explains.
Loftdroen's grandmother sadly passed away in 2012, leaving him to inherit a small cottage in Remich. The proceeds of the sale left him with enough capital to buy three repurposed private jets, with room for up to 19 passengers per flight.
The entrepreneur has been ready to launch - or take off, if you want to score cheap punnery points - for nearly a decade, but progress has been slowed considerably by Luxembourg's lack of airports. A solution has however finally been found, with several municipalities lending their support and providing suitable takeoff and landing spaces.
The new airplane parking will be able to house 3 parked planes, with simultaneous takeoff and landing on separate runways. Customers can expect time savings of up to 1 hour and 25 minutes per day. / © LetzFly Airlines promotional image
The starting routes for the airline are:
- Clervaux (parking area by Rue du Parc) to Kirchberg (Luxexpo parking) - 8 minutes
- Echternach (parking area by the Lycee Classique) to Kirchberg - 6 minutes
- Esch-sur-Alzette (train station parking) to P&R Bouillon - 3 minutes
- Dudelange (Parc Le'h footpath) to P&R Bouillon (connecting flight via Esch) - 12 minutes including stop in Esch
- Wiltz (hospital parking area) to Mersch (train station; convenient for onward travel) - 5 minutes.
Introductory fares will range from €59 to €129 (first class) return, with monthly subscriptions entitling the customer to 20 flights starting at just €900.
"I understand that this will be too expensive for some," explains Loftdroen, "but equally, going by car for many of these routes would take upwards of an hour during peak times. What we provide isn't just travel, but quality of life."
2025: expanding to the greater region
Looking to the future, Loftdroen has plans to expand beyond the borders to serve Luxembourg's vast number of cross-border workers. He is currently in talks with Thionville, Metz, and Trier, but explains that he has met some resistance from local municipalities.
"They are concerned about the noise, of course, but mainly they are worried about making it even easier for people to leave their cities, and the impact that will have on the local economy. But that's only half the story - what they need to take into consideration is that my planes will only carry commuters in the morning and late afternoon. I can't afford to have the planes parked all day in between, and during that downtime I will sell tickets to tourists and shoppers who want to benefit from the lower prices across the border. Who would buy a baguette in Luxembourg, when you could go to France and back in 11 minutes for the real deal?"
Loftdroen expects that he will be able to expand his fleet by an additional 7 planes by 2025, and that half of his aircraft will be operating across the border.
Free in the future?
While it's difficult to compete with free trains, buses, and trams - even if flying is far faster - this may not be the case for too long. Loftdroen has been in touch with the Ministry of Public Transport about potential future collaboration, and claimed that they are open to potentially including these flights under the banner of free public transport.
We reached out to the ministry for comment, and got confirmation that they will "observe" the company for an initial five years. Depending on the impact the initiative has on de-congesting roads and increasing the uptake of alternative modes of transportation, the ministry spokesperson said that they are "open" to including standard-fare travel under the free public transport banner from 2028.
