Matthias Spohr takes over as chief operating officer at Eurowings
The former head of Lufthansa Aviation Training returns to Eurowings to manage cockpit crews, ground operations, and fleet maintenance.
Matthias Spohr officially stepped into the role of Chief Operating Officer at Eurowings on October 1, 2026, replacing Edi Wolfensberger, who moves to take charge of sister carrier Edelweiss. Within Eurowings, Spohr now forms the three-member executive board alongside chief executive officer Max Kownatzki and chief financial officer Kai Duve.
A qualified pilot, Spohr takes responsibility for the carrier's entire operational branch. His portfolio includes cockpit and cabin crews, ground and flight operations, safety management, the integrated operations control center (IOCC), and technical fleet oversight handled by Eurowings Technik.
The appointment marks a return to the airline, where Spohr previously led flight operations from 2015 to 2021. He subsequently managed Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH starting in 2021, overseeing the restructuring of pilot training programs and the reorganization of the European Flight Academy.
While industry observers note his family relationship as the brother of Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr, the move comes as part of broader executive changes across the airline group. The primary focus for the new operational leadership will be safeguarding schedule integrity and operational performance despite ongoing staffing constraints and European airspace congestion.
Why it matters for your training
The appointment directly influences operational standards, crew management, and dispatch control within a major European carrier network.
Sources
Article rewritten with the help of AI from the cited sources.