Lufthansa Group said air travel between Thailand and Europe would pick up next year as the global economy is returning to the pre-recession level.

Lufthansa German Airlines and its partner carriers, Swiss and Austrian Airlines, yesterday said they were happy with new bookings already made for the coming year.

Thierry Antinori, board member of Lufthansa, said the company planned to invest in customer services in Thailand as well as to offer attractive fares for Thai travellers.

The airline will soon introduce another special fare series for the Thai market as part of its celebration of 50 years of operations between Germany and Thailand.

The airline recently started a code-sharing deal with its US partner, Jet Blue. The move will offer Thai passenger more flights and destinations in the US.

Christopher Zimmer, general manager for passenger sales in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma, said Lufthansa would focus on business travellers, while Swiss and Austrian Airlines would cover the leisure markets.

The aviation industry is expected to return to near the pre-crisis level next year, he said, although it is not easy to say the industry's prospects would be very good throughout the year.

"Lufthansa is maintaining Thailand as a gateway into Malaysia and Vietnam. We will keep expanding our business in the region," he said.

The group flies 21 times a week from Thailand to Frankfurt, Zurich and Vienna, offering connections within Europe and beyond.

To Lufthansa, although Thailand has suffered from one of the most serious global economic crises, demand has been maintained and the group continues to offer its full range of flights and services.

The group employs about 1,000 people in Thailand, and has a long-standing partnership with Thai Airways International that has turned into a valuable alliance.