Media reports say, according to "soruces with inside knowledge" the E.U. anti-trust authority is expected to approve the takeover of OS and SN by LH under some conditions which the company can cope with (most probably slots/rights).
Nice to hear .
WARNING! The post above should be taken with a grain of salt! Furthermore, it may be slightly biased towards A.
Aidanoc5793 From Ireland, joined Apr 2009, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 3248 times:
Shame, I always thought OS was a strong carrier, I hope LH maintains VIE as a longhaul hub and not make OS a feeder for its flights from FRA and MUC, and I hope LH gives OS some new planes especially for VG, very old fokkers and their old 767's. SN well that was always a mess anyway, about time someone stepped in, now it can make BRU the hub its supposed to be
AIR MALTA From Malta, joined Sep 2001, 2170 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 3022 times:
Quoting Qazar (Reply 2): Good to hear... The LH Group gets bigger....
It is actually annoying. I am stuck with all those Star airlines whenever I travel (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium). But i still love OS. It is in a league a part and far better than LH. I hope the brand and service is kept as it is because they are really a quality airline.
Unfortunately, LH is going to dominate Europe now with a really boring brand and service. They might be reliable but there is nothing really exciting about flying them...
YOWza From Canada, joined Jul 2005, 4704 posts, RR: 22 Reply 6, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2909 times:
Are the OS and SN brands/identities going to be preserved moving forward or is it just a matter of time before zee Germans turn them into Lufthansa Östereich and Lufthansa België/Belgique. The reason I ask is that the LH brand is far stronger than SN or OS overseas.
This is in contrast to AF/KL where both brands are strong globally.
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 6503 posts, RR: 25 Reply 7, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2880 times:
Quoting YOWza (Reply 6): Are the OS and SN brands/identities going to be preserved moving forward or is it just a matter of time before zee Germans turn them into Lufthansa Östereich and Lufthansa België/Belgique
Zee Germans will keep the local flavor in the brands, for sure. The Austrians would not want to fly Air Piefke. LH OK, but turning the local airline German, no way. BTW the LH CEO Mayrhuber is Austrian himself. The question is, can OS and VIE sustain all long distance flights they operate today. That has to be seen and it will be a pure economical decision.
BTW 70% of LHs passengers are non German, so the carrier and the service/brand can't be that bad since many of them have a choice.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 18460 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2845 times:
Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 4): LH is going to dominate Europe now with a really boring brand and service. They might be reliable but there is nothing really exciting about flying them...
I prefer to buy tickets on a carrier that I expect is still going to be around when the time comes to fly, rather than one on the verge of bankruptcy. With so many airlines in financial trouble, and so many having shut down over the past few years, I expect many passengers share that view, which is probably why the stronger carriers (like LH) are getting stronger, and weaker carriers are getting weaker.
YOWza From Canada, joined Jul 2005, 4704 posts, RR: 22 Reply 9, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2816 times:
Quoting PanHAM (Reply 7): BTW 70% of LHs passengers are non German, so the carrier and the service/brand can't be that bad since many of them have a choice.
That was kind of my argument for a change. LH is held in high regard in many places around the world. Well nice to know the brands will be preserved if only for some livery variety. LH Italia is awfully unimaginative. I can't imagine the Italians are thrilled at an "Italian" carrier flying the German flag.
And all I hear is, that the Italians are quite thrilled, as they for the first time, have a reliable, quality airline. Why shouldn't they appreciate that?
AIR MALTA From Malta, joined Sep 2001, 2170 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2517 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 8): I prefer to buy tickets on a carrier that I expect is still going to be around when the time comes to fly, rather than one on the verge of bankruptcy.
Well I would still use OS over LH anyday. LH shorthaul is boring and longhaul is bad.
OS has an Austrian flair and the service is generally better. And be sure, Austrians wouldn't want to have a Lufthansa Oesterrich at home. That wouldn't work.
But generally speaking LH and Miles-and-More hava become giants now and the choice has reduced in countries I am working in... Not really nice!
Aidanoc5793 From Ireland, joined Apr 2009, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2502 times:
Quoting NicoEDDF (Reply 13): And all I hear is, that the Italians are quite thrilled, as they for the first time, have a reliable, quality airline. Why shouldn't they appreciate that?
Agreed, with a carrier like AZ being the main airline they should really be thankful, I think Lufthansa Italia is classy, its suits the market LH is aiming for, I love Lufthansa, what an inspiring airline, although I want OS to still be the same OS
AIR MALTA From Malta, joined Sep 2001, 2170 posts, RR: 2 Reply 19, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 2356 times:
Quoting Qazar (Reply 17): What about BMI... What is going on with that take-over?
Well BMI take over won't bean easy ride... There is a dispute about the capitalization of BMI and SMB is taking LH to courts. He might end up selling some LHR slots to BA... That should be very interesting to watch.
Ultimately, integrating SN, BD and OS in this current climate could prove challenging. We'll see what happens!
Ota1 From Germany, joined Apr 2008, 386 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 2317 times:
Quoting YOWza (Reply 16): No Italian flag as far as I can see.
Right, LHI flights are operated by LH mainline (and BD) right now. They will fly under German flag and with German crews until they get their Italian AOC which is expected this fall. Then all operations at MXP (except for flights to Germany) will be transfered to LHI, which then will be flying under Italian flag with Italian staff.
YOWza From Canada, joined Jul 2005, 4704 posts, RR: 22 Reply 21, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 2277 times:
Quoting C010T3 (Reply 18): Lufthansa België/Belgique/Belgien if you don't mind.
Right, right I always forget German is an official language of Belgium. Although I don't know that "Lufthansa België/Belgique/Belgien" would fit on a 320 family bird in the same size font as use for LH Italia. Perhaps Lufthansa BE!
Quoting Ota1 (Reply 20): Right, LHI flights are operated by LH mainline (and BD) right now. They will fly under German flag and with German crews until they get their Italian AOC which is expected this fall. Then all operations at MXP (except for flights to Germany) will be transfered to LHI, which then will be flying under Italian flag with Italian staff.
Interesting, thanks! Am I to assume then that when the time comes LHI metal will be put onto the Italian register and become I-****?
Kiwiandrew From New Zealand, joined Jun 2005, 8308 posts, RR: 17 Reply 22, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 2150 times:
Quoting YOWza (Reply 21):
Interesting, thanks! Am I to assume then that when the time comes LHI metal will be put onto the Italian register and become I-****?
correct , somewhere I have read an article which indicates that a block of I-**** registrations has already been reserved for this purpose , I will try to find a link ( although I think it might have been something I read in print rather than online )
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
LHPII From Croatia, joined May 2009, 169 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1966 times:
Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 4): But i still love OS. It is in a league a part and far better than LH. I hope the brand and service is kept as it is because they are really a quality airline.
probably because of their famous quality they are almost bankrupt now, and hoping for LH to take it over as soon as possible.
their brand will be kept for sure, but there will ceretainly be some service cuts, cause their current service is completely unsustainable as it is and OS is a high cost airline and their customers are not willing to pay for it
Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 4): LH is going to dominate Europe now with a really boring brand and service. They might be reliable but there is nothing really exciting about flying them
that is your personal opinion and thank god not supported by many.
LH is a very strong quality brand, and ceretainly not boring one, and is ceretainly appreciated by business people who fly for their work and not experience as you probably do!
Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 4): They might be reliable but there is nothing really exciting about flying them...
enlight me please, what is so exciting about flying with them?
I have flown with them quite some, haven't seen any excitment about them except for excelent do&co catering service on their intercontinental c class.........i admit that LH long-haul C class catering is not up to their level, although it is good as well, but this is understandable because OS doesn't offer First class and LH needs to differenciate
Quoting YOWza (Reply 9): I can't imagine the Italians are thrilled at an "Italian" carrier flying the German flag.
LH is a very strong brand in Italy, and in northern Italy even stronger then AZ, therfore LH chose to name the airline LHitalia.(it was also considered to be built on air dolomiti brand) As soon as the airline gets its own AOC the planes will get italian flags and registrations.
enlight me again.........what is so bad about LH longhaul? you obviously only base your opinion on PTVs offer or?!?
Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 14): But generally speaking LH and Miles-and-More hava become giants now and the choice has reduced in countries I am working in... Not really nice!
this should be in fact very nice......because Miles and More is in fact more generous then BA's or AFKL's offer
Do you ever ask yourselves what do your favorite airlines do wrong to lose their market share to LH. Maybe then you could learn to appreciate LH for doing some things good.
Quoting YOWza (Reply 21): Interesting, thanks! Am I to assume then that when the time comes LHI metal will be put onto the Italian register and become I-****?
Yes, the registrations will be I-LHKA, KB, KC.........
AustrianZRH From Austria, joined Aug 2007, 1186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (2 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1956 times:
Quoting LHPII (Reply 23): probably because of their famous quality they are almost bankrupt now, and hoping for LH to take it over as soon as possible.
their brand will be kept for sure, but there will ceretainly be some service cuts, cause their current service is completely unsustainable as it is and OS is a high cost airline and their customers are not willing to pay for it
I tend to disagree on that one. The cost of the "high quality service" cannot be that much higher. And I for one would like to pay 20 EUR more for the higher quality catering I get in OS Y compared to LH (it's the little things, like the small dessert with your sandwich, or the arrangement in the small snack box, which make their service look so much better to me compared to LH or LX).
The reason OS is almost bankrupt doesn't lie with the service, but with bad management. As an almost government company, the OS board of directors served as a "retirement place" of unelected or forced-to-resign politicians for way too long. This combined with doing everything the unions want (typically Austrian) led to the situation AUA is in right now. I am pretty sure that with a good management, like LH without many doubts has, can make OS profitable without major cuts in service.
WARNING! The post above should be taken with a grain of salt! Furthermore, it may be slightly biased towards A.
25 Columba: I really don´t know what you are talking about I recently flew with AF, CO, DL and KLM and I can say that AF and KLM are not that different from LH
26 AIR MALTA: Catering is not OS biggest problem but as AustrianZRH said, they have been mismanged for a long time (Route Network, Fleet, lauda Integration, etc...
27 FlyingAY: This reliable quality airline just cancelled a lot of their Italian flights for summer as the thrilled Italians have not been paying enough for their
28 LHPII: I ceretainly appreciate your opinion, but also tend to disagree at ceretain points. As you said it is the little things that make OS service so much
29 LHPII: OK i was right, it is PTV thing after all ........believe me you are minority because most of the business pax appreciate above all core LH values Re
30 LHPII: ........just the name a few recent ones LH flynet (first broadband internet ever on a comercial jetliners, unfortunately shutdown by Boeing, but soon
31 AIR MALTA: That's not true. I have flown LH shorthaul and longhaul Economy and Business to DXB, North Africa and in Europe. I have also tried OS, AF and BA shor
32 LHPII: Your only longhaul LH C class experience is a single trip to DXB......you don't have any experience in F class, so your experience is very subjective
33 FlyingAY: You're making an effort to negate what the man himself has experienced, yet you don't offer any views as to why LH would be better than BA, AF or KL
34 LHPII: It is just the oposite....He was saying that his opinion is based on facts, which ceretainly can not be truth if his only LH longhaul experience in C
35 NicoEDDF: And your point is exactly what? Is it just to find something negative? I never said, LH is the Jesus of the airline industry. It might surprise you,
36 PanHAM: did anybody mention here that Italy is closed most of August and demand falls substantially? The cancellation of flights just reflexes the ability of
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