Ultra cheap apparently

https://www.merkur.de/verbraucher/ai...-94182859.html

LH and cheap? What a joke. Just an other Creative way to squeeze the lemon a bit more.
Pay more, get less!

Don't worry, it won't be super cheap. It might be 5 EUR/CHF off the current economy light, which will be a 20 EUR/CHF premium over the extra light fare.

if they want to compete with Ryan Air and Easy Jet - go for it. Their cost structure won't allow them to compete and they are flying out of expensive airports. This is doomed to fail

AF/KLM did introduce something like this, not sure how that did fall out.

They still do it, expanding it to a few other intra-Europe destinations. But usually it's to destinations that have competitors that already offer something similar (usually OW airlines, or SK).

It's gonna be introduced network-wide (within Europe), they're just doing a staggered launch

But keep in mind that in case of AFKL, all status benefits are provided, so Silver and higher status still gets both cabin bag and checked bag, free seat selection, etc. For status holders the only difference compared to Light fare is earning fewer XP.

The EU airlines already have such a superlite fare product (e.g. AF/KL, AY) and use it on routes where LCCs compete head on. Its usually personal item only, no handbaggage and no early boarding group. The US3 have the 'basic' fare for domestic routes where you board last and are assured that your hand baggage will be gate checked (for free).

I think LHG is just analysing how and where to implement it, i.e. how to configure/customize the product that is already available in their Amadeus tool kit. Can't leave any ancilliary revenue lying on the table these days.

Didn't Carsten say last year that they want to position themselves as premium? How's this for premium? This "super cheap" fare will be priced at the current eco light levels, and all fares above this will get a 10-15% price increase...voila, growth generated, another pat on the back for the managing board.

The difference is that in the US they have one "cheap" level below standard fares. What Finnair does and AFKL trials is having two levels - light and basic. That is too much imho, as the difference between the two becomes negligible and at that point they're only used to hide the real price.

I learned to tolerate one level that needs to be skipped but when I encounter airlines where I need to go up two levels, I just end up booking elsewhere. The lack of price transparency is just too much for me. Some OW airlines even do this in business (AY, QR) so I learned to just ignore them in whatever search engine I'm using since the actual price is likely to be much higher and therefore the offer I'm seeing is just a random number.

Similarly in cause of shorthaul Y, I will always go for LO, A3, TP and of course AFKL over LHG, because with those airlines I know that the price I'm seeing is more or less final (status gives me all the perks I need), whereas in case of LHG I have to go to their website and go three steps into the booking process to figure out what the actual price is.

He was just kidding! I'm just wondering what they can still cut away and move into the ancillary revenue column? Toilet access maybe? Get one access code to go together with your one personal item and buy additional visits at 19 euro pre-departure or 49 euro on board?

The article linked in the first post suggests that this new fare would not even include hand luggage.
In Spain, courts have repeatedly held that Spanish and EU law/Directive not only include "cabin baggage", but that "cabin baggage" includes anything that should comfortably fit - including in the overhead bins - based on the size/shape of the aircraft, and that airlines' charges to carry on a full/normal sized carry on bag (that is, which has to go in the overhead bin) violated the law.
The airlines of course are trying to challenge this at the EU level, but there is also an EU court decision which seems to side with the Spanish.
In any case, EU rules I believe - and in any case, with certainty, Spanish written law and court cases - would not allow a no-cabin-baggage-at-all fare, as the article seems to suggest that LH is considering.
(n.b. there were a bunch of articles a year or so ago that got ahead of reality, announcing "new EU rules"; the EC never agreed on it, and the rules at the EU level did not change). [See https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2...ers-rights-law - this was a good thing, because the drafted rule would have set a uniform standard much lower than that which major airlines currently allow; I apologize, I know the Spanish courts and EU courts have spoken about EU rules on the matter, but I cannot find the specific reference at the moment].

I usually fly out of GOT. LH is nearly always packed and there are quite a few low cost airlines flying from GOT. Thus, its not that LH can't compete. I guess they find out that there are some money to make by introduce another class. Let's see how it play out. Personally, I can leave the roll on bag, take some extra clothes on me, and pack a small bag to put under the seat. I might smell a little extra on the way back 😁, but if LH want to play this game, Im in!

Good for you Go for it in true FT spirit

Apart from the super "cheap" Y tariff, what about "cheap" C? I thought LHG beancounters are keen to introduce a basic C class without ground perks such as lounge access, priority security & group 2 boarding? This is where they can make some extra $$ by selling these "add ons" together with seat reservations, bags etc.