Deutsche Lufthansa AG, commonly known as Lufthansa, is the largest German airline which, when combined with its subsidiaries, is the second-largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. The name of the former flag carrier is derived from the German word Luft meaning "air" and Hansa for the Hanseatic League. Lufthansa is one of the five founding members of Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance, formed in 1997. The company slogan is 'Say yes to the world.'