Max Kownatzki appointed Eurowings CEO; Marcus Schnabel leads SunExpress.

Lufthansa Group announced significant leadership changes, naming new Chief Executive Officers for its Eurowings and SunExpress carriers, effective February 1, 2026. Max Kownatzki, currently serving as CEO of SunExpress, will transition to lead Eurowings. He succeeds Jens Bischof, who will step down from the management board at the end of 2025 after more than five years guiding the low-cost carrier and over 35 years within the wider Lufthansa Group.

Taking Kownatzki’s place at SunExpress will be Marcus Schnabel, who currently manages Ground Operations for Lufthansa Airlines in Munich. Lufthansa Chairman Carsten Spohr praised the outgoing Bischof for transforming Eurowings into Germany’s leading leisure carrier and successfully guiding the airline toward profitability in the highly competitive point-to-point market.

Spohr expressed confidence in the incoming executives, noting that Kownatzki’s experience at SunExpress and focus on operational excellence make him the ideal candidate to continue Eurowings’ successful trajectory. Schnabel, described as an experienced airline manager with entrepreneurial drive, is tasked with guiding SunExpress through a pivotal growth phase. The chairman emphasized the importance of filling these strategically vital roles internally from within the Lufthansa Group ranks.