On Saturday, the Lufthansa Group's latest startup venture took to the skies for the first time. Eurowings Discover launched flights with its inaugural service from Frankfurt to Zanzibar via Mombasa. While targetted as passengers, the new airline has additional benefits for the carrier below the main decks of its aircraft.

The current situation has the importance of cargo capacity crystal clear to operators around the world. While most of its fleet was grounded, Lufthansa was operating multiple cargo-only flights to East Asia, as were other airlines in the Lufthansa Group. The airline group's latest creation will now add to its cargo capacity.

Eurowings Discover adds cargo capacity

Lufthansa Cargo is keen to use any available space in the belly of Lufthansa Group flights. After all, if an aircraft has room, it could be making more money. Lufthansa Cargo today revealed that it would be marketing the space in the hold of Eurowings Discover flights to those wishing to ship anything imaginable.

The addition of the Eurowings Discover flights will mean that Lufthansa Cargo can ship goods to and from Mombasa in Kenya and Zanzibar in Tanzania. Next month, new route launches will also mean that Punta Cana and Windhoek will join the airline's network.

Lufthansa Cargo, Eurowings Discover, Freight
More routes will be added to the Eurowings Discover network throughout the year. Photo: Tom Boon - Simple Flying

According to Lufthansa Cargo, it has begun offering cargo capacity on Eurowings Discover's flights from today. However, on Saturday, it already looked as if the inaugural flight was handling its fair share of cargo, including what appeared to be four to six window pains.

Commenting, Lufthansa Cargo's CCO, Ashwin Bhat, said,

"The integration of the freight capacities of Eurowings Discover makes the offer even more attractive for our customers... We are also pleased to be able to make a valuable contribution to the success of the new Lufthansa Airline by marketing the new Eurowings Discover capacities."

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A growing network means even more possibilities

The Eurowings discover network is set to grow pretty rapidly over the coming year. In October, Las Vegas and Mauritius will join the party, followed by Bridgetown, Montego Bay, and Varadero when the Winter season starts. In November, Cancun, the Canary Islands, and destinations in the Canary Islands, Egypt, and Morocco will join the network.

Lufthansa Cargo, Eurowings Discover, Freight
Photo: Tom Boon - Simple Flying.
Eurowings Discover now has 12 aircraft.

Each of these additional routes adds more possibilities for Lufthansa Cargo. For example, the way to Montego Bay doesn't just connect Germany and Jamaica. Through the Lufthansa Group's extensive network, you could also fly cargo from somewhere such as London to Montego Bay with a connection from a Lufthansa flight to a Eurowings Discover flight.

How important do you think Eurowings Discover is to the Lufthansa Group's cargo capacity? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!