Lufthansa says to end Sudan flights

KHARTOUM - German airline Lufthansa, the last European carrier with direct flights to Sudan, will end its service in January, a company document obtained on Sunday says, citing economic reasons.

Flights between Frankfurt and Khartoum will end on January 19, says a letter to clients signed by Hartmut Volz, the airline's Sudan general manager.

"Lufthansa offers its customers an extensive worldwide network and regularly monitors its profitability," it says.

"In this context it was decided to suspend services from Frankfurt to Khartoum."

The move comes after 51 years of service to Sudan, an industry source told AFP.

Early this year the Dutch airline KLM ended direct flights between Amsterdam and Khartoum, citing rising costs.

The Sudanese capital is still served by Turkish Airlines as well as by some African and Middle Eastern carriers.