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The company has been providing maintenance, repair and overhaul services for some of the world’s most popular commercial aircraft types for a quarter of a century, directly contributing to the safety of international air transport.
The company’s story began in 2001, when the Budapest maintenance center of Lufthansa Technik was established through a partnership between Lufthansa Technik AG, part of the Lufthansa Group, and Malév Hungarian Airlines, the now-defunct national carrier. The first major milestone, a comprehensive heavy maintenance check known as a D-check, was completed in 2002 on a Boeing 737.
As LTB notched up its early successes, the ownership structure evolved. In 2009, Budapest Airport acquired Malév’s stake in the company, and in 2014, Lufthansa Technik AG became the sole owner. Today, the Budapest facility operates two hangars. It can simultaneously perform comprehensive maintenance on up to five narrow-body aircraft, including the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families, handling all generations of these aircraft up to the most modern 737 MAX and A320neo.
Over the past 25 years, the Budapest center has grown into one of Central Europe’s key players in the aircraft maintenance market. In that time, more than 55 international airlines have entrusted their fleets’ scheduled maintenance to the expertise of the Hungarian team. The company’s customer portfolio has included well-known airlines such as Norwegian, Eurowings, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Wizz Air, Lufthansa and Azores Airlines. LTB employs more than 400 highly skilled professionals who work every day in accordance with the industry’s strictest safety and quality standards.
Lufthansa Technik Budapest also places great emphasis on the industry’s future. The company launched its first in-house career program in 2018, which has since become one of the key talent development hubs in Hungary. The program’s success is evidenced by its receipt of two industry awards in 2025.
Ongoing capacity and infrastructure expansions have accompanied the company’s development over the past quarter-century. The first major expansion took place in 2013 with the construction of the warehouse building, which was necessitated by the growing volume of orders and the steady increase in headcount.
As part of the development of its training infrastructure, a dedicated workshop for practical education was established in 2021, and the company has been renting the training venue in Budapest Airport’s Terminal 1 building since 2019. Modernization of the site further strengthened this work: in 2024, the office space underwent significant expansion, as did the so-called interior workshop, which broadened the scope of on-site services.
The company commemorated its quarter-century milestone with a special event held in one of its Budapest hangars. Employees, partners, and representatives of the parent company gathered to reflect on the company’s achievements, including awards presented to staff who have been with LTB for the full 25 years.
In his opening remarks, Harald Gloy, chief operating officer of Lufthansa Technik Group, noted that not only has LTB turned 25 this year, but Lufthansa itself also celebrates its centenary, having been founded in January 1926. Speaking of both companies, he described it as “an amazing story of entrepreneurship, courage and enthusiasm.”
After what he called “five remarkable years” as CEO of LTB, Thoralf Wagner, who also spoke at the hangar party, has left the company, if not the group. Effective from June 1, he has become the head of technical fleet management at Swiss International Air Lines. His successor, Johannes Rotter, will take up duties in Budapest in August.
To mark the anniversary, Lufthansa Technik Budapest has also produced a corporate video. The footage offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the world of aircraft maintenance, showcasing the precision, expertise, and dedication required to keep aircraft operating safely and efficiently, and is available on Lufthansa Technik Budapest’s social media channels.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of June 19, 2026.
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