Europe's largest airline group, Lufthansa, unveiled plans Monday to shed 4,000 administrative positions—roughly 4 percent of its 103,000 employees—by the end of the decade, a move aimed at streamlining operations amid Germany's deepening recession and fierce global competition.

The cuts, largely in Germany and sparing flight crews, stem from digital overhauls and AI efficiencies that render some roles obsolete, the company said in a statement. "Duplication of work" post the ITA Airways acquisition will also factor in, as Lufthansa eyes an adjusted operating margin of 8-10 percent by 2028-2030—a buffer against high energy costs and sluggish tech adoption plaguing industrial titans like Bosch, which axed 13,000 jobs last week.

Lufthansa's portfolio spans Eurowings, Austrian, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, and the new Italian arm, but the slump—Germany's second straight year of contraction with decade-high unemployment—has squeezed margins across the board.

Chinese rivals and post-pandemic travel volatility compound the pain, forcing a pivot to leaner structures without touching core safety ops.

As Frankfurt-based Lufthansa charts the trim—set to unfold gradually through 2030—the carrier bets on tech dividends to reclaim skies, but questions linger on whether workforce whittles can outpace economic headwinds in a battered homeland.