The chief executive of Lufthansa Group says he “cannot believe” that the Airbus A320 crash involving subsidiary Germanwings with the loss of 150 lives could have happened.
“We cannot comprehend how a technically flawless airplane steered by two experienced pilots could encounter such a situation at cruising altitude,” said Carsten Spohr in a video message.
“All of us at Lufthansa are working to ensure that such an incident will never occur again.
“We cannot believe that this has happened. We are doing everything to support the families.”
He added: “What was important to us yesterday now seems irrelevant in comparison.”
Two special flights for families and friends of the victims will fly to France where the aircraft came down in the Alps tomorrow.
Three Britons who were passengers on the aircraft have been confirmed as among the dead including hospitality and hotel management student Paul Bramley from Hull.
The family of UK resident Marina Bandres Lopez-Belio and her seven-month-old son Julian, from Manchester, confirmed they were also on the flight.