Lufthansa confirmed that its Airbus A380 flew from Abu Dhabi to Munich on Monday evening (March 2, 2026) without passengers, despite tens of thousands stranded in the Gulf due to the war.

• The main reason was the absence of cabin crew; at least 17 flight attendants are legally and technically required for passenger transport.

• The aircraft carried only the two pilots, making passenger service impossible.

• Lufthansa added that check-in, baggage handling, and boarding procedures in Abu Dhabi could not be guaranteed under current restrictions.

• The plane had been in Abu Dhabi since November 2025 for maintenance and was now returned empty to Germany.

Sources – Agencies