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The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
Several legacy airlines have tried to establish in-house low-cost airlines. While many failed (BA's "go", SAS's "snow flake" or United's "TED" for example), some also stick around such as IAG's "vueling" (and "level") and Lufthansa's "Eurowings". I just returned from a trip on which I transfered from Lufthansa to Eurowings and it struck me how un-coordinated they really are: While I bought ONE ticket through Lufthansa, LH was unable to reserve a seat (or print a boarding Pass) for the contuing leg on the sister-airline, for example. But they share lounge access and one gives miles to the other airline's customers account etc. My luggage got lost at the transfer and it is unclear to me, whom to contact for the complaint. While it was LH's plane that was delayed, I was a given a Eurowings form to fill out etc. Also, the quality carrier acted as a feeder to the low-cost airline, which is odd, should it not be the other way round? So, what exactely is the relationship between these "legacy-offshoots" and their main brands?
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
lightmac wrote:My luggage got lost at the transfer and it is unclear to me, whom to contact for the complaint. While it was LH's plane that was delayed, I was a given a Eurowings form to fill out etc.
The IATA convention is that the carrier on one's last segment to destination is responsible for luggage tracking and reimbursement, so this was addressed correctly by LH/Eurowings.
Your point on feed is lost on me. Sister carriers expand the network of frequencies and destinations. Eurowings happens to be an LCC. Expect LCC services, and benefits according to LH's statements. U.S. regs require clear disclosure of operating carrier by phone, online, and in ticket confirmations/receipts, as in United 5656 operated by ExpressJet. Does Europe not have comparable regulations?
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
Yeah, it's crazy. Last year I booked a connecting flight MUC-DTM-PMI on Lufthansa's website. 1st leg was "Lufthansa operated by Germanwings", 2nd leg was "Eurowings operated by Germanwings" (later even turned out to be the exact same aircraft). I wasn't able to check in for the 2nd flight on either website (LH/EW) nor was the staff in MUC able to check through my bag, which I had to pick up and re-check in DTM, although the trip was booked on one ticket.
I get the whole separate crew and cost thing but why can't they make their computer systems work together or just use the same for the whole group?
I get the whole separate crew and cost thing but why can't they make their computer systems work together or just use the same for the whole group?
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
It's all very easy:
When everything goes swimmingly, it's all one big company and at the end of the day Mother LH collects all the coin. If and when anything goes bad, it's nothing at all to do with the mothership, please direct your inquiries to a web of diverse contacts possibly spread over several legal entities.
Thank you for flying .... whichever of our brands we decided should operate the service you purchased a ticket for.
When everything goes swimmingly, it's all one big company and at the end of the day Mother LH collects all the coin. If and when anything goes bad, it's nothing at all to do with the mothership, please direct your inquiries to a web of diverse contacts possibly spread over several legal entities.
Thank you for flying .... whichever of our brands we decided should operate the service you purchased a ticket for.
Signature. You just read one.
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
The very nature of those brands (Eurowings, LEVEL/Vueling, Transavia) is to create separate markets without cannibalising their "premium" product (Lufthansa/Austrian/Swiss/Brussels, BA/IB, AF/KL). Also those brands are not looked very well from the legacy union's perspective, so it is in the interest of the workers of those legacies not having a lot of connection with those low-cost carriers (in any sense of the world). In a way people working at Air France, Iberia or Lufthansa are the first ones to "boycott" those low-cost carriers.
Just out of curiosity, why would someone ever fly MUC-DTM-PMI? There must be like a million daily MUC-PMI flights.
hman wrote:Yeah, it's crazy. Last year I booked a connecting flight MUC-DTM-PMI on Lufthansa's website. 1st leg was "Lufthansa operated by Germanwings", 2nd leg was "Eurowings operated by Germanwings" (later even turned out to be the exact same aircraft).
Just out of curiosity, why would someone ever fly MUC-DTM-PMI? There must be like a million daily MUC-PMI flights.
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
If I would be some legacy airline CEO (which I'm not 
) I would not start my own cheapo subsidiary but buy shares of the better ones of those lowcost airlines. Lowcost must be pure and real lowcost not some relabeled legacy product. This is why I think none of those legacy lowcost airlines will ever work. You might be able to match the cost of the mother for some time but the real lowcost guys can never be matched. So they will grow and not you.
) I would not start my own cheapo subsidiary but buy shares of the better ones of those lowcost airlines. Lowcost must be pure and real lowcost not some relabeled legacy product. This is why I think none of those legacy lowcost airlines will ever work. You might be able to match the cost of the mother for some time but the real lowcost guys can never be matched. So they will grow and not you.Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
Eurowings is an LCC and is therefore mainly focused on point to point operations and does not use a hub and spoke model - which is probably why your connection didn't go so well
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
LCC? It‘s more like airberlin 2.0. Doing long range, holidays, business travel and serving former LH mainline routes. Düsseldorf is their „hub“ and not all tickets are cheap.
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
Noshow wrote:LCC? It‘s more like airberlin 2.0. Doing long range, holidays, business travel and serving former LH mainline routes. Düsseldorf is their „hub“ and not all tickets are cheap.
But it's officially an LCC and is supposed to be following a low cost business model... hence the new plans to end long haul operations and focus solely around shorthaul a320 ops
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
I am not sure LH understand the concept of a LCC. It is supposed to be low cost for the customer, but Eurowings seem to have missed this part.
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
SCQ83 wrote:
Just out of curiosity, why would someone ever fly MUC-DTM-PMI? There must be like a million daily MUC-PMI flights.
It was the cheapest option that day. But more important, as an aviation geek, I was able to score another airport on my flight map, which I would otherwise never have had a reason to fly to. And DTM is somewhat interesting, as it is the only airport I have ever been to, where they park the planes backwards to the gates.
Re: The relationship between Lufthansa and Eurowings (and other "sister-airlines")
Well, the LCCs that stick around have something in common: they were independent carriers that were bought by legacies (Vueling, Transavia and to some extent, Germanwings...).
I think that in a way they still operate as pretty much separate entities, is not like regional feeders that operate purely as “express” brands.
I think that in a way they still operate as pretty much separate entities, is not like regional feeders that operate purely as “express” brands.
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