by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 22, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Passenger Experience, Security |
Due to the attacks in Paris and the ongoing police activity taking place in and around Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, Lufthansa has asked passengers to be prepared for additional scrutiny.
Specifically, passengers are asked to carry their passport or identity card even if travel is taking place within the ‘Schengen’ region which normally does not require any border control or identity checks. This applies to passengers traveling on any of Lufthansa Group’s airlines.
Passengers should expect spot checks for flights arriving or departing the above mentioned countries. In addition there is a higher chance of random checks for other travel within Schengen zones. It makes sense to act as though Schengen rules have been suspended and be prepared with proper documentation no matter where in Europe you may be.
According to the EU, this security enhancement will be in place through at least the middle of December with a good probability of being extended beyond that time frame.
Travelers who cannot provide proper identification are subject to being banned from entering a country or fines.
I’ll be in Europe next week and am curious to see how different things look and feel compared to my last visit a few months ago…..
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 21, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Strike |
In a move designed to help reach long-term labor peace, Lufthansa has invited the leadership of all 3 Unions that represent their employees to sit down with the airline’s leadership.
On December 2, leaders from UFO (Flight Crew Union), VC (Pilots Union), and Verdi (Ground Staff) will meet with LH so that all sides that share their expectations. Lufthansa is expected to present what their objectives are in terms of striking a balance between sustained long term success of the airline and the benefits and needs of employees.
With this meeting scheduled, it seems that the threat of strikes has been abated at least for the short term. There have also been hints along the way that strike risks should be low during the Holiday season and if the meeting is constructive on December 2, we may see the risks of strikes reduce even further.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 21, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Route Announcements |
Lufthansa announced that it will swap service to Rzesow, Poland and Tirana, Albania beginning in March of next year.
Currently, Lufthansa serves Rzeszow from Frankfurt. However beginning March 28, service to Rzeszow will be switched to Munich. Service will continue on a 1 flight per day schedule.
In return, Munich will give up Munich – Tirana, Albania on March 26. Frankfurt will become the origin for flights to Tirana beginning on March 27. Service will continue on a 1 flight per day schedule.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 18, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Plane Spotting |
In Frankfurt earlier today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in town to bestow an honor on one of Lufthansa’s A380 aircraft.
For those of you who are not aware, LH names virtually each of their aircraft after a city, town or village in Germany. In the case of the A380 fleet, some are named after LH’s international destinations.
With today’s visit, Merkel took part in the ceremony that named Lufthansa’s newest A380 , D-AIMN, ‘Deutschland’ by pouring Champagne on the aircraft as well as signing an official document to mark the occasion. D-AIMN was delivered on April 7, 2015, and had previously carried the nickname of ‘San Francisco’. ‘MN’ is also the last A380 that Lufthansa will receive.
Kevin, a friend of mine, happened to be transiting Frankfurt earlier today and saw D-AIMN as she was heading towards the A380 hangar for the ceremony:
As irony would have it , guess where she’s flying off to tomorrow?
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 15, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Strike |
After the week-long strike by the cabin crew union last week, it appears that they have not yet satisfied their appetite for crippling the airline’s operation.
In an apparent shot across the bow, the union leadership has suggested that further strikes are possible, if not likely, unless LH capitulates to their demands. One of the more popular demands include guarantees that retirees would receive 96% of their salary/benefits after they leave the airline. Bizarro World type stuff isn’t it?
No timeline for future strikes has been outlined but I suspect if there are going to be strikes, they will take place before December 8 since that marks the beginning of the Holiday Season throughout most of Europe. We wouldn’t want the union to have to work during the holidays, would we?
On average, a day of strikes costs Lufthansa approximately $11 million dollars. The impact is sizeable when you measure strikes in weeks versus days.
The airline and union are far apart on what both deem as reasonable solutions so odds are good that we’ll see picket signs again.
