Lufthansa vs. Deutsche BA

Meilensammler · Jan 4, 02, 12:22 am

Looks like LH is beginning a fare-war on DI. Lufthansa put out specials (75€ in January and 69€ in February) for intra-german return flights, but only fou routes that are served by both Airlines. Since you can get miles on these prices it might be a good idea to make a mileage-run (especially if you don`t have to fly in person). What are your experiences with Deutsche BA (compared to Lufthansa)?

**ralfkrippner** · Jan 4, 02, 1:26 am

Tried to book this including any AIRail service from Stuttgart (ZWS-FRA-TXL) for several dates with same day-returns and weekends. STR-TXL is served by Deutsche BA.

Same day returns were about 600€ and weekend returns could not be priced by Infoflyway. So again IFW is not an option...
opodo.de prices the weekend at 224€...

If anybody is able to get those prices including an AIRail segment, please post.

djohannw · Jan 4, 02, 2:02 am

Quote:

Originally posted by ralfkrippner:
Tried to book this including any AIRail service from Stuttgart (ZWS-FRA-TXL) for several dates with same day-returns and weekends. STR-TXL is served by Deutsche BA.

Same day returns were about 600€ and weekend returns could not be priced by Infoflyway. So again IFW is not an option...
opodo.de prices the weekend at 224€...

If anybody is able to get those prices including an AIRail segment, please post.

The "problem" is in the fare-rules: You have a minimum stay of two days with that fare, and travel "Must be direct", i.e. it applies to non-stop flights STR-TXL only.

Rules for the Feburary-fare:

Von: Stuttgart (STR-Echterdingen)
Nach: Berlin (TXL-Flughafen Tegel)
Basispreiscode: WFEB14D

STRBER-LH 1FEB02 *RULE DISPLAY* TARIFF 304 RULE 6008
* ADD APPLICABLE TAX * FED INSP FEES *
-FARE BASIS EUR NUC PTC FT GI
WFEB14D R 69.00 61.41 ADT EX EH
WFEB14D R 69.00 61.41 CNN EX EH
WFEB14D/IN00 R 0.00 0.00 INF EX EH
WFEB14D R 69.00 61.41 UNN EX EH
WFEB14D R 69.00 61.41 INS EX EH
BOOKING CODES W
FIRST TRAVEL - 1FEB02 LAST TRAVEL -16FEB02
LAST TICKETING -18JAN02 TRAVEL COMPLETE -17FEB02
SEASONS - NO RESTRICTION
PENALTIES - CANCEL-NON REF BEFORE/AFTER DEPART
CHANGE-NO CHANGE TO RES BEFORE/AFTER DEPART
FOR ALL CONDITIONS SEE TEXT RULE
DAY/TIME - DAILY 9:30A THRU 3:30P
MON/TUE/WED/THU/FRI 7:00P THRU 11:59P
SAT/SUN ALL DAY
ADV RES/TKT - RES REQ 14 DAYS BEFORE DEPART
TKTG WITHIN 24 HOURS
AFTER RESERVATIONS OR AT LEAST 14 DAYS
BEFORE DEPART WHICHEVER IS EARLIER
ALL SEGMENTS MUST BE CONFIRMED
FURTHER RESTR APPLY SEE TEXT RULE
MIN STAY - RETURN AFTER 2 DAYS AFTER
DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN RETURN FIRST SUNDAY
AFTER DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN
MAX STAY - 14 DAYS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM ORIGIN
BLACKOUTS - NO RESTRICTION
SURCHARGES - NONE
STOPOVERS - NOT PERMITTED
TRANSFERS - NO RESTRICTION
FLT APPLIC - ANY LH FLIGHT
CHILD DISC - 1ST INF UNDER 2 YRS FREE NO SEAT
OTHER DISC - NO OTHER DISCOUNTS PERMITTED.
COMBINABLTY - SEE TEXT RULE
ELIGIBILITY - NO RESTRICTION
ACCOM PSGR - NO RESTRICTION
TVL RESTR - OUTBOUND MUST BEGIN ON/AFTER 01FEB02 -16FEB02
RETURN COMPLETED BY 17FEB02 MIDNIGHT
SALES RESTR - TKT ON/BEFORE 18JAN02
SEE TEXT RULE
NEGOTIATED - NO RESTRICTION
TKT ENDORSE - ORIGINAL TKT - ONLY VALID FLT/DTE SHOWN-
ORIGINAL TKT - NON REFUNDABLE
MUST APPEAR IN ENDORSEMENT BOX
APPLICATION - SEE TEXT RULE
TOUR DISC - SEE TEXT RULE
AGENT DISC - SEE TEXT RULE
MPM - EH VIA EASTERN HEMISPHERE
INDUSTRY FARE TYPE - XAN - APEX NONREFUNDABLE
ROUTING 1 *** MUST BE DIRECT **
1 FROM-TO STR-LH-BER*

Greetings - Dirk

LH738 · Jan 4, 02, 2:12 am

My last flight with Di was from HAM - MUC (one-way only; MUC - HAM on LH) almost 1 year ago. I bought a C-class ticket because I wanted to go into their lounge, too. I went into the lounge in HAM and was told that I couldn't enter with this ticket after 12.00. Only in the morning it's allowed (Because there weren't many passengers in the lounge the agent let me in without any problems). The lounge was small and filled with smoke. Really disappointing.

The planes are configured with only one class. My seat was in the back of the plane. That's ok for a leisure trip but on one-day business trips I don't want to wait until the passengers left the plane. There was a standard beverage service (2 times) during the flight. No cocktails as often advertised by DI.

After all I was very disappointed. OK for leisure. For business trips you've to thinks twice about it. If you can plan the flights exactly and have luggage (you have to wait at the belt anyway) it seems to be ok, too. If you can't plan the flights exactly because meetings may be longer (or shorter) then there is no lounge available where you can work. I hope that they'll improve in future. Their product was much better when they started in Germany.

**ralfkrippner** · Jan 4, 02, 5:11 am

this is a ton of restrictions... even a time of the day window... And I would guess that availability would be low, too? So a fare for advertising mainly?

Worldtraveler36 · Jan 5, 02, 2:44 pm

I enjoyed Deutsche BA. I hated flying LH within Germany. Cold, rude crews with poor legroom in Business, nein danke

.

I flew DI from LGW to MUC and back. They had nice, comfortable planes(737-300), good snacks, crews were very friendly, and they even upgraded me on the return flight(by the flight attendant, to my surprise) by showing my American Platinum/Oneworld Sapphire card, but with a coach meal, which is fine.

I prefer BA's lounges. LH's lounges are dark and crowded. So, if you have a choice, take DI. LH seems to buy up everything in Germany, I am surprised that the Gov't would allow that, i.e. in the case of Eurowings.

Tshcuss, Michael

------------------
MD
AA PLT,1 MLN Miles+
Hilton Gold
Sheraton Gold

LH738 · Mar 6, 02, 4:40 am

BA plans to run a low cost carrier within Germany.
DI (Deutsche BA) will become a low cost carrier according to news on ntv. BA plans that DI will only fly within Germany and will not fly to BA's hub any more.

Uli · Mar 6, 02, 5:07 am

Do you remember LUFTHANSA EXPRESS from about 8 or 10 years ago? Seemed LH already had their low-cost-carrier by that time.

LH738 · Mar 6, 02, 5:16 am

There were speculations that LH will introduce a low-cost carrier again. LH now clarified that they will NOT operate a low-cost carrier. And why?
LH told that low-cost carriers are a separate business. LH wants to focus on their main business. There's another example where the co-existence didn't work: BA operated low-cost carrier Go a few years ago.

hmsflytalk · Mar 7, 02, 10:47 am

talking about team lufthansa as a low cost carrier: i use augsburg airways a lot... easy, fast, simple and friendly. and the snacks are the best i ever had an short flightlike agb-fra in 50 min.

on my last trip to ham from muc i used di which was fine too. i really could not see much difference, except di offers a snack when lh does only serve a drink.

paulusst · Mar 7, 02, 11:10 am

Quote:

Do you remember LUFTHANSA EXPRESS from about 8 or 10 years ago? Seemed LH already had their low-cost-carrier by that time.

LH Express was NOT a low cost carrier BUT a low wage carrier. Ticket prices were the same as on LH before. They just founded a new company to put pressure on the unions to accept a big cut in salaries.

Uli · Mar 7, 02, 11:12 am

I think this was also the time when it was clear there will never be any C or F seats intra-German anymore (which is OK for me). It was not only wages, also the product was downgraded.
Anyway, then they removed the "EXPRESS" logo and made it "real" LH again but kept the low service

Tim2008 · Mar 7, 02, 3:03 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Uli:
Do you remember LUFTHANSA EXPRESS from about 8 or 10 years ago? Seemed LH already had their low-cost-carrier by that time.

I was looking into some old LH onboard magazines and found an article about LH Express; Sorry only in German

"Seit Herbst 1994 fliegen unsere Gäste auf 7 innerdeutschen Strecken Express. Ihre Erfahrungen und Anregungen haben wir genutzt, um Express konsequent zu verbessern. Auf vielfachen Wunsch erhalten sie Ihre Tageszeitung direkt am Gate-auch wenn sie Economy Class fliegen. ... Übrigens sind nun auf allen Flugzeugen der Express-Flotte acht Sitzreihen mit den neuen Komfortsitzen ausgerüstet... One way fares waren 369DM oder 299 DM in Business und 259DM oder 199DM in Economy."

Damals noch ohne unsere heutigen Wuchersteuern! Habe gestern über 140 Euro für zwei Prämientickets allein an Steuern bezahlt... Dreist

What sort of comfort seats were available on these planes? Any differnce in seat pitch or other advantages compared to Economy?

Tim

During that time you could even enter Red Carpet lounges with your FTL card...

[This message has been edited by Tim2008 (edited 03-07-2002).]

Uli · Mar 7, 02, 5:51 pm

I do not remember those seats! I thought it were all the same ... Maybe used LH Express once or twice ... was too young then to care about the "comfort seats" (-:

Tim2008 · Mar 15, 02, 7:41 am

Deutsche Ba will be renamed into fly-dba and start low-cost services.
They plan to sell their tickets only on the internet. Their new website is www.fly-dba.de . Currently there is only a redirection to their old page but the new one will be available soon.

Tim