Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners) - LH will create a new short haul product (Press release)

I do not know if this has been posted already:

http://www.handelsblatt.com/newsticker/unternehmen/absatz-lufthansa-will-neues-angebot-auf-der-kurzstrecke-starten;2539427

Sorry german only.

The article basically states that LH will offer a new shorthaul product with more comfortable seats and a new cabin enterieur, says Thierry Antinori (LH Marketing board member)

No details are given. Does any of you insiders already know what to expext of this new "enhanced" product?

Thinner seats, more seats, probably elimination of the galley ...
Sell it to the punters as an enhancement.

Time will tell if this subjective assessment is generally believed true


"Wir bleiben Premiumanbieter. Wir sehen uns aber bestimmte Ansätze der Wettbewerber an, dazu gehören auch Low-Cost-Carrier etwa bezüglich der Produktivität der Flotte"


English
"We remain a premium supplier. However, we are looking at some of the things our competitors do, such as the fleet utilisation of Low Cost Carriers"

Let's see what they do to remain a premium supplier in short haul with this new product.

Time will tell if this subjective assessment is generally believed true

... und neue Apps für iphone-Nutzer.



Wow, new apps for iPhone users. That'll make up for more seats on board. :D

Even Lufthansa can't resist using some of Apple's glamour.

Thinner seats, more seats, probably elimination of the galley ...
Sell it to the punters as an enhancement.

I do hope so much Air Berlin will start FRA-BRE, FRA-HAM etc.!! Then there is absolutely no reason to choose LH any more :)!

Instead of becoming HON I will spend my money now for paid tickets with SQ in C, which provides more comfort and service. For short haul inside Germany I will spend the money for the Sixt limousine service (they have nice S class cars!) instead of LH. It offers me the option to take someone with me free of charge. And instead of crazy dirty and full SEN lounge in FRA I will make a "stopover" at McDonalds.

And for connection flights ( I have choosen LH direct flights or LX with transfer in ZRH using Business Upgrade Europe before) I will start with BA.

Both BA and AB offered a nice status match, so there is NO burden any more :)

LH, byebye!!!

I do hope so much Air Berlin will start FRA-BRE, FRA-HAM etc.!! Then there is absolutely no reason to choose LH any more :)!



Frankfurt - Hamburg is served by AB since a couple of month!

I do hope so much Air Berlin will start FRA-BRE, FRA-HAM etc.!! Then there is absolutely no reason to choose LH any more :)!

Instead of becoming HON I will spend my money now for paid tickets with SQ in C, which provides more comfort and service. For short haul inside Germany I will spend the money for the Sixt limousine service (they have nice S class cars!) instead of LH. It offers me the option to take someone with me free of charge. And instead of crazy dirty and full SEN lounge in FRA I will make a "stopover" at McDonalds.

And for connection flights ( I have choosen LH direct flights or LX with transfer in ZRH using Business Upgrade Europe before) I will start with BA.

Both BA and AB offered a nice status match, so there is NO burden any more :)

LH, byebye!!!

BA is great for longhaul in Business but their Club Europe cabins on the Euro destinations are quite worn and sometimes even shabby (757s come to mind).

BA does however offer reasonably priced upgrades to C. ^

BA is great for longhaul in Business but their Club Europe cabins on the Euro destinations are quite worn and sometimes even shabby (757s come to mind).

BA does however offer reasonably priced upgrades to C. ^

Sounds great!

I assume LH will no longer provide business class on short haul flights with the next enhancement, and just go the same way as bmi does for some flights now (just placing the expensive ticket holders into the front of the cabin).

So, bearing this in mind and all the other enhancement, I will follow BA, or something else (I am just evaluating) and leave my "HON Circle membership intention", which I have been following for quite a while now.

I dont want to be left outside the HON terminal flying in economy just after having reached HON.... And then flying economy after a long haul flight in paid F, just because LH has erased the galleys and business class service...

Many of my colleagues think the same way (some of them are already HON) and have just begun to look for status match to change to an other carrier during this year.

Uncertainty concerning consistency and reliability of benefits is the worst LH can give now!!!!!!!

I haven't tried T5 to be honest but I am still scared of LHR!!!!!! BIG TIME!!!!

Other than that, I see no reason not to give BA the benefit of doubt.

BA's short haul C produt is also in discussion. Who knows if it will survive? This is also a question for me, as I would not enjoy having to schlepp to LHR in shorthaul Y to then fly C or F longhaul.

I have been on KLM once or twice after they eliminated the business cabin and I was not impressed at all and never boarded one of their flights again.

I am sure LH will keep the business cabin on shorthaul. However, speclation has been rising that the blocked middle seat might disappear and we'll end up with a 3x3 row. :eek:

I don't think the HON program will go the way of the Dodo either. Anyway, I think it's too early to jump ship. Depending on how many HON miles you still need, I'd still go for it - provided the routing, schedule and price match your needs.

If you are starting from scratch with HON miles, then it's probably better to enjoy the best of many worlds. (I maintain my BA Gold status too, as I like to be flexible to book whatever is most convenient and has the best price ratio).

However, speclation has been rising that the blocked middle seat might disappear and we'll end up with a 3x3 row. :eek:


This would really upset me , it is basically the only reason for flying
C intra Europe .:mad:

Sounds great!

I assume LH will no longer provide business class on short haul flights with the next enhancement, and just go the same way as bmi does for some flights now (just placing the expensive ticket holders into the front of the cabin).
...

Well, haven't they already been doing this on those Contact Air Fukkers for a while now ?

This would really upset me , it is basically the only reason for flying
C intra Europe .:mad:

Hmm. that would be a bummer. I guess buying two seats on AB would still save me money compared to LHs C price.

Hmm. that would be a bummer. I guess buying two seats on AB would still save me money compared to LHs C price.
Sure , if you are a low cost carrier kind of guy.;)

And if their extensive intra Europe routs have frequent flights to your destinations , or at all go there.

Sure , if you are a low cost carrier kind of guy.;)

And if their extensive intra Europe routs have frequent flights to your destinations , or at all go there.

I fly LH C as I like the ground product based on my status and because I get privacy and space for my large body for a small price difference to a full flexible Y ticket, which I need on my many business trips.

The more I think about it, the free middle seat is doing it for me. I can live without the glassware, the snack on a tray, the magazines, the cleaning tissues and the sweeties.

If they pull the middle seat, I will be gone.

And on a second note, what kind of communication strategy is that. Making a point they will have a new shorthaul product but not telling you what it is? With all the enhancements of the past, everyone is suspecting this is going to be bad.

Sure , if you are a low cost carrier kind of guy.;)

And if their extensive intra Europe routs have frequent flights to your destinations , or at all go there.

AB seriously annoys me with their restrictions on carry on.
As I have given up on checking bags years ago, I like the LH approach:
Basically I can take onboard whatever I like (flying predominantly C) as long as I can carry it myself. That makes a difference to me. (I only travel with one bag all the time which fit the carry on dimension - but of course it is too heavy).

AB seriously annoys me with their restrictions on carry on.
As I have given up on checking bags years ago, I like the LH approach:
Basically I can take onboard whatever I like (flying predominantly C) as long as I can carry it myself. That makes a difference to me. (I only travel with one bag all the time which fit the carry on dimension - but of course it is too heavy).

Never had a problem walking on board with two carry-ons on AB. Usually one smaller laptop / file bag and a cabin trolley (overweight) Nobody ever said anything and they are usually happy to help me to store the later one.

Never had a problem walking on board with two carry-ons on AB. Usually one smaller laptop / file bag and a cabin trolley (overweight) Nobody ever said anything and they are usually happy to help me to store the later one.

They always used to bug me at checkin.
I solved that problem by no longer booking AB :D

They always used to bug me at checkin.
I solved that problem by no longer booking AB :D

How about not checking in anymore? (I mean in person versus online)

How about not checking in anymore? (I mean in person versus online)

Why bother when I don't need to worry about it on LH ?
Don't get me wrong, the LCCs such as AB have their market and they certainly did a good job in pushing down prices of the legacy carriers...but for me there's a limit. Probably I am not as price sensitive as others - except on longhaul C. :D

..Let's see what they do to remain a premium supplier in short haul with this new product.
Keeping their fares.

talking of status matching with BA...
i searched the BA forum and found out that they dont do it apparently. i nevertheless signed up at BA and used their online form to ask whether they would status match from HON to BA Gold. after 4 days i got the reply that i can not earn BA miles wih LH flights. uhm...who would have thought that....
my second email, clarifying my apparently complicated and misleading initial question hasnt even been answered to date.
:td:
does anyone have any advice?

does anyone have any advice?
Probably you should better ask this over in the BA forum. But now that you raised the question:
1/ Don't fly BA
2/ Call the German Call center and ask directly
3/ Simply start from blue: if you fly mainly in premium cabin you'll be BA Gold in no time. If you use a european mainland address you just need a TATL and a another european trip in C and you are Silver.

For me LH intra European flights are still most of the time cheapest solution. As I buy TATL flight, I add to it the EuroAirPass and it works really well, get the flexibility (except the routing, but that is fine) in changing time of departure.

I haven't tried T5 to be honest but I am still scared of LHR!!!!!! BIG TIME!!!!

No need to be scared anymore. Transfers are smooth even when having to change terminals, lines are generally short and the entire process is much better than what it used to be.

No need to be scared anymore. Transfers are smooth even when having to change terminals, lines are generally short and the entire process is much better than what it used to be.
I agree, connecting at LHR T5 is much better. However it is not a patch on munich. What particuarly annoys me is that at T5 is that if your inbound flight is slightly delayed and you don't make it to the boardind card check before 40 min before the next flight departs they will not even let you past. I would at least like a sporting chance....

Interesting to what kind of ranting this announcement leads, sometimes from the same people that praise LX a lot. And if you look at the LX cabin layouts they have implemented exactly what's announcement for LH here: less galleys, lavatories and storage space, slightly slimmer seats and a lot more capacity per plane. And I've not heard anyone complaining about that yet.

Interesting to what kind of ranting this announcement leads, sometimes from the same people that praise LX a lot. And if you look at the LX cabin layouts they have implemented exactly what's announcement for LH here: less galleys, lavatories and storage space, slightly slimmer seats and a lot more capacity per plane. And I've not heard anyone complaining about that yet.

Yes - because with LX you can use the Business-Upgrade option and we sit in front of the curtain. LH has sometimes enormous prices for the business-class.
So if I do not need a flexible ticket I go for the cheapest option. I would happy to buy an upgrade for a reasonable sum, but not the difference form E to C! So with LH it is a higher chance to sit in Y/M/onkey Class.

I haven't tried T5 to be honest but I am still scared of LHR!!!!!! BIG TIME!!!!

Other than that, I see no reason not to give BA the benefit of doubt.

T5 isn't actually that bad, especially compared to the British Museum branch that used to be T2 ...

However, what has been said about the crappy state of many BA short-haul cabin interiors is certainly true.

T5 isn't actually that bad, especially compared to the British Museum branch that used to be T2 ...

However, what has been said about the crappy state of many BA short-haul cabin interiors is certainly true.

Oh it is old, but not that bad, especially since the have 2-2 Seating in CE. And the prices are quite attractive compared to LH.

Interesting to what kind of ranting this announcement leads, sometimes from the same people that praise LX a lot. And if you look at the LX cabin layouts they have implemented exactly what's announcement for LH here: less galleys, lavatories and storage space, slightly slimmer seats and a lot more capacity per plane. And I've not heard anyone complaining about that yet.
Certainly not my fault. I find the LX seating becoming unbearable at a rapid pace and not just on the shorthaul products.

I can also not recall ever to have said anything good about LX seating other than that they do not have a weero flag when it comes to seat blocking.