Many people might not realize that Lufthansa is one of the largest employers in Peterborough, Ontario, a city with a population of 81,000. However, this will soon change as the Lufthansa In Touch (LIT) customer service centre prepares to shut down, resulting in the loss of 400 jobs.
This call centre is part of Germany’s Lufthansa Group and has been operational since 2003. The Peterborough site employs customer service representatives, quality assurance experts, and team leaders who offer round-the-clock multilingual support for flight bookings, reservations, rebooking help, and loyalty program services.
Local news outlet kawartha NOW covered this story and shared a statement from Tal Muscal, the director of group communications for The Americas at Lufthansa Group, confirming the impending closure.
“Lufthansa In Touch (LIT) has made the difficult decision to gradually close its location in Peterborough, Ontario (Canada) by 31 May 2026 as part of ongoing business transformation efforts,” the statement reads.
“The customer service industry operates in a volatile, highly competitive environment, and the decline in customer service volume at Lufthansa In Touch requires decisive action. Increasing automation, advanced self-service technologies, and improved operational performance at Lufthansa Group airlines are the reasons for ensuring long-term profitability and sustainably adapting operations within LIT’s global network.”
Self-service options and increasing automation are reducing the need for airline call centres.
While next May marks the official closure date, some users on Reddit say that most employees may actually be gone by October of this year.
This development is tough for a city already facing high unemployment rates. Nonetheless, Lufthansa In Touch promises it will treat its workers fairly and provide support during this transition.
The statement sent to kawartha NOW mentions: “LIT greatly appreciates the commitment and professionalism of the team in Peterborough, whose service has contributed significantly to customer satisfaction among Lufthansa Group airlines and is committed to supporting the affected employees during this transition phase, including through fair severance payments, an employee assistance program, and professional support in finding new jobs.”
The Peterborough location stands as the only Lufthansa In Touch customer service centre across North America; other centres are located in Germany, Czech Republic, Serbia, South Africa, Namibia, Philippines, and Turkey.
