LH kicking Emirates out of Germany

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    Hess963
    Participant

    Hi everyone !!

    I was just browsing through BT when suddenly this article of Alex McWhirter appeared. I was at first upset–but after a while–I was laughing out loud !! Whether the German gov’s decision is influenced by any LH lobbyists or not. It is definitely “LH’s own goal” !

    It just looks so pathetic and desperate !–that the German gov has to come up with such decision inorder to help LH or German airlines–what was it–to stop non European carriers for undercutting European carriers with low tariffs on routes–example from Germany to non EU destinations–as this is illegal and against the bilateral air transport agreements and EU Parliament rules…. what ??

    Has Germany not implemented the Free Market Economy for decades now and been successful—and now this protectionism which definitely sets LH as the prime gainer of this whole “kerfuffle” –at least it looks supposed to be !

    I personally recommend Emirates to stay cool and of course talk and consult those issues. But in the end–LH and other EU politicians and lobbyists know sincerly—-you cannot force the customer’s own taste and decision with which airline–especially if they can gain substanstial savings–they want to fly. Such desperate looking measures will only make the customers perplex that there is something wrong and hideous about it.

    Yes, there is something wrong when suddenly some good airlines like Emirates with a competitive price is forced to give up the routes in Germany or perhaps later other European destinations as well –because “the big yellow-blue bird on the block” is upset for its incapability to gain good yields performance.

    Just let them imply such stupid measures–the sensible pax will always find good tariffs and possibilities to express its own decision in how to spend his money. And will never let such bureaucratic thing–undermines one’s own freedom of choice !!

    Emirates do not need to state how involved and committed they are in Germany or somewhere else in Europe or buying a very large amount of German-made aircraft—-the pax’s liking to fly with Emirates in their premium cabins and pay for it which reflects the good yields and envy of LH or similar–is endorsement enough.

    Here is the link to Reuters article about this issue:

    http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSLJ44779920091119


    JackyLek
    Participant

    Hi Hess

    Im also not a fan of NON-FREE market regulations, but EK do get their subsitute from their Goverment , like oil, taxes big advantage these days for a airline.
    And NON-EU airlines get to free themselves from many EU-passenger rights when a flight is delay og cancelled. Maybe this is a start that NON-EU airlines get some restrictions from EU.
    I wish that the EU-parlament will be more harder for airlines like Ryanair, who tend to bend the rules very far, and drag the case to court just to make people tired and give up.

    And we all know that German and France are expert to protect their nationals-company.


    Hess963
    Participant

    Hi Jacky !!

    I am not a fan of Ryanair either–I always find such business attitude suspicious–meaning pax are in the end the losers!
    If the EU Parlament will be implementing such measures in the future against Non EU carriers then–please wisely and never leave the point that the consumer’s rights to buy and choose what they want–is more important–than just give the slightest hint of helping those airlines to perform a good financial statement in the end of the fiscal year.

    About the point of protecting national companies by their own national government–the general idea of getting help is not bad–but it should be always transparent and never leave an aftertaste that those advantages are more for the share holders or pimping their fiscal performance rather than really forwarding this government help to the benefits of the pax


    Senator
    Participant

    So if LH is undercutting UA from the US, is this illegal?

    You will find that national airlines are almost always most expensive on direct flights from home base. The more interesting example is what fares look like to Germany from markets such as SIN, BKK… Same difference?

    I do know from inside of LH that they worry about Emirates. However, LH is smart enough to see that protectionism will not solve their issues in the long run.


    Hess963
    Participant

    HI Senator !!

    That is a good point–I await this moment when the US airlines or other Star Alliance carriers are also getting the reprehension, if they undermine LH’s pricing or anything near offending LH in a way and risking to be banned flying to Germany or in the EU as a whole.


    Hess963
    Participant

    I am absolutely amazed that Lufthansa German Airlines is cowering in their office in Frankfurt and feels threaten in a way that they have to pursue their lobbyists to seek help from the German gov.

    For me–absolutely a bad picture that LH is like BA really under immense pressure to get it right and bring it right. Otherwise…….


    JackyLek
    Participant

    LH price is quite high compare with other airlines, and also if you start your journay in another country and transfer via Germany, unless you take a promotion fare that need to be book several months ahead, like Qantas and Cathay do in the UK market selling fare that start 01.May 2010. When I was based in Thailand and Hong Kong and book a flight back to Scandinavia LH and BA is always the most expensive. But one thing that EK do very well in Germany and Benelux is that all their ticket include DB transfer to a German EK depart Airport. Let us see if EU take any action regarding the letter to EK in Germany. I doubt it will happen, since EK is not a EU airline, but maybe Im wrong ……


    Hess963
    Participant

    Yes Jacky—let us wait and see in how the German gov. will pursue this revelation to EK and other Non European carriers which are also menaced by this.

    If the EU parliament stands firmly on the side of LH/German gov. on this issue than there will be a new ” cold war” but this time in the airline industry. Let us see, if those EU airlines will be getting any good performances in the future–in those markets where they could be probably seen as “enemy of the local state and economy”


    JackyLek
    Participant

    EK two biggest market is UK and Germany so I doubt they will fight against. EK leak this letter out is try to get support from other EU countries. EK could face the same in UK and then they are in big shit. EK have so many flights in and out from these two country, if they get kick out I scare all the A380 is going to hard to fill up. But EK do have a trumph card is all the Airbus aircraft they have on order could hurt France and Germany big time. I bet Boeing is open their eyes now and hope these will escalete big time …… and 747-800 program may get a turnaround …
    Loud thinking of me now Hess,… maybe you have some other thoughts ?


    Hess963
    Participant

    Hi Jacky !!

    I have personally no problem of you thinking loud over this topic.
    EK is in a huge problem, not only in Germany or UK, but in the whole of the EU-if they are forced to raise the tariffs–what– just to please those incapable LH responsibles who can’t fix their home problems rightly–now they have to get some typical dirty tricks through lobbying the German gov. and make it a national or EU matter which threatens German or EU labourers –but the real point here is–those responsibles just lack knowledge and capability to master their job and what is expected from them. Now hiding cowardly behind their desks and wait anxiously for help from their local gov to support them where they have failed.

    Now the pax have to suffer and force to pay high price because of those incapable ********* !

    I am thinking loud here as well. I have no tolerance for such endeavours which pax are the loosers and those airline responsibles are just happy to save their own neck and thinking in how to get the next raise or bonus from the airline and actually do not care, if pax have actually paid more as it is–and keeping the high price artificially


    Hess963
    Participant

    And yes Jacky !!

    If the EU as a whole will pursue this against EK–then there is the possibility that EK will change its commitments from Airbus to Boeing.

    Why? why not–why support those providers and countries which is actually against you? How does the EU think will EK pay the check for all those airbus aircrafts when they are not full of pax and no yields.
    Yes, Boeing could have a small door opening here–if Germany and the EU will run against Emirates in this matter.

    So LH–be aware of what you wish–you could stumble hardly on this one with a very huge magnitude of consequence


    q.travel
    Participant

    well, there are still ways to get cheap fares. People who start from European continental airports can fly via LHR to Asian destinations cheaply even they fly “back”.

    Example that I tried already:

    VIE-LHR with miles (28000 m, rebooking fee 50 Euros) or with BA about 300 Euros or OS about 400 Euros

    LHR-ZRH-HKG with LX about 1800 Euros (J, rebooking fee 75 Pounds)

    Option “London” costs totally: 2200 Euros

    If u book VIE-ZRH-HKG LX: 2900 Euros (J, rebooking fee 100 Euros)
    If u book VIE-MUC/FRA-HKG LH: 3200 Euros (Z, rebooking fee 200 Euros)

    Be smart 😉


    JackyLek
    Participant

    One thing that suprice me is that LH do have a grip on the Germans pax in C, and usally the C pax that I had seen in EK is pax that start their travel outside of Europe. My gate in Germany Hamburg and Munich, but from next year Im switching to LX and OS coz of the Skywards.


    Hess963
    Participant

    Those LH premium flyers–I mean exactly those who are rev pax in F and C class and really pay the LH price tag–are more often businessmen and -women who are sponsored by their company. So these people actually do not care how much LH charge as the company pays it. But if these people will have to pay from their own pocket–I am sure no sensible pax will pay that high price tag ! Perhaps those “die hard fans” of Hons status holder.

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