Overview
- Lufthansa Group introduced a new Economy Basic fare that includes only a small personal item under the seat, with a cabin suitcase now a paid extra or part of higher tiers.
- Flex tickets now carry steep cancellation charges, set at €150 for intra-European economy and ranging from €400 in long-haul economy to as high as €2,000 in first class on some routes.
- Flex still allows free rebooking, which means flexibility now depends less on refunds and more on changing to a new flight without a fee.
- Other changes take effect across Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Discover, including Economy Light becoming rebookable for a fee and Economy Comfort dropping free seat selection.
- Corporate travel leaders criticize poor notice and reduced clarity, while consumer groups and a German court ruling challenge the legality of charging for larger carry-on bags.