LUFTHANSA is to slash fares from the UK to Germany
this winter as it fights back against budget airlines and British Airways.
Europe’s biggest carrier is to roll out a new price
concept on services to Heathrow and regional airports from major German cities
next month. The move coincides with the launch of the winter schedule on
October 27.
Minimum stays and advance booking requirements will be
scrapped. Current rules demanding both legs of a flight are at the higher fare
if a lower deal on one sector is unavailable have also been ditched.
The rule changes follow BA’s decision to axe Saturday
night stays and advance purchase restrictions in April to enable passengers to
buy cheaper off-peak tickets. The UK carrier extended the number of countries
in the initiative to include Germany in July.
Lufthansa has yet to say what price cuts it will make
to destinations such as Frankfurt and Munich, although the scheme has been
introduced to the German domestic market with 50% off.
Executive vice-president network management and
marketing Ralf Teckentrup said: “The aim is not only to offer our customers
cheaper flights, but also to give them more flexibility in planning their
journey.
“We are also creating the precondition for improving
occupancy.”
Lufthansa is also targeting other European countries
for new deals as competition from the likes of Ryanair, which is threatening to
set up a German base, hots up.
BA, which already includes domestic, Scandinavian and
Dutch flights within its own fares concept, currently has 170 European routes
without travel restrictions at low-cost rates.