In October 2023, Lufthansa introduced plans to launch yet one more subsidiary, with the only real function of discovering a loophole to pay workers much less. The airline might be launching passenger operations this week, so I wished to go over all the small print, particularly since there’s a serious “catch” to flying with this airline…
The fundamentals of latest Lufthansa Metropolis Airways subsidiary
Lufthansa Metropolis Airways is Lufthansa’s latest subsidiary, and it’s starting operations for flights as of June 26, 2024. The airline might be launching operations with a one-year-old Airbus A320neo that has the license plate D-AIJI, after which the second aircraft might be a 16-year-old Airbus A319 with the license plate D-ABGH.
In the long term, Lufthansa Metropolis Airways plans to function Airbus A220-300s. Lufthansa Group has ordered as much as 60 of those (40 agency orders plus 20 choices), and so they’re primarily meant for Lufthansa Metropolis Airways. Deliveries are anticipated to start out in 2026. Till then, the airline will function a mixture of Airbus A320neos and Airbus A319s.
So far as routes go, the plan is for Lufthansa Metropolis Airways to function out of Lufthansa’s greatest hubs, serving feeder routes for Lufthansa, alongside Lufthansa mainline jets, in addition to Lufthansa CityLine jets. Service will launch as of June 26, 2024, and the primary flights might be out of Munich (MUC):
- Home locations will embrace Berlin (BER), Bremen (BRE), Cologne (CGN), Dusseldorf (DUS), Hamburg (HAM), and Hannover (HAJ)
- Worldwide locations will embrace Birmingham (BHX), Bordeaux (BOD), and Manchester (MAN)
Lufthansa Metropolis Airways is utilizing the 2 letter code “VL.” Initially you may anticipate that the airline is simply changing current Lufthansa companies, so the airline isn’t really including any new service. Metropolis Airways has a separate Air Operator Certificates (AOC), which it bought from the German Federal Aviation Authority again in June 2023.
Jens Fehlinger, Managing Director of Metropolis Airways, explains how the intent with this subsidiary is to create sustainable (in different phrases, decreasing paying) jobs in Germany:
“Lufthansa Metropolis Airways is contributing to the longer term viability of the hubs in Munich and Frankfurt. We’re trying ahead to new fashionable Airbus A220 and A320neo deliveries within the coming years. For our friends and workers, we’re driving ahead our renewal and thus strengthening Lufthansa’s deliberate progress in long-haul visitors.”
What does Lufthansa Metropolis Airways imply for passengers?
From a passenger expertise standpoint, what do you have to anticipate when flying Lufthansa Metropolis Airways? Effectively, by way of the onboard passenger expertise, it needs to be enterprise as standard in the case of the cabin, seats, meals, drinks, and so forth. The one distinction onboard is that the aircraft could have a barely modified livery, and also you’ll be served by crews who particularly work for this subsidiary.
Now, when off the aircraft, there’s a main distinction with Lufthansa Metropolis Airways. The airline is absolutely taking part within the Lufthansa Miles & Extra program, so you may earn and redeem miles, and reap the benefits of elite perks.
Nonetheless, Lufthansa Metropolis Airways isn’t as of now a companion with Star Alliance in any approach, on condition that the airline has its personal “code.” That is tremendous irritating — it means you may’t earn and redeem Star Alliance miles for Lufthansa Metropolis Airways flights, and Star Alliance Gold elite perks (like lounge entry, precedence boarding, and so forth.) additionally wouldn’t apply.
The implementation right here is extraordinarily irritating. Lufthansa is changing mainline flights with Lufthansa Metropolis Airways flights, and within the course of is screwing over anybody who could also be a non-Miles & Extra Star Alliance flyer. I hope Lufthansa adjustments its coverage on this, as a result of it’s going to result in confusion and disappointment.
Why does Lufthansa want one other subsidiary?!
It’s nearly comical simply what number of subsidiaries Lufthansa has. Earlier than Metropolis Airways, we had Eurowings, Uncover Airways, CityLine, and I’m positive I’m lacking some. And that doesn’t even think about all of the subsidiaries up to now, plus all the opposite Lufthansa Group companion subsidiaries.
So, why does Lufthansa want yet one more subsidiary? Effectively, at present there’s the Lufthansa CityLine subsidiary, which primarily operates Canadair and Embraer regional jets, although additionally operates some Airbus A319s and A320s (and up to now even operated A340s).
The catch is that Lufthansa has a scope clause with its mainline pilots concerning this subsidiary, and so they’re restricted to solely flying planes as much as a sure dimension. There’s an exemption at present in place that permits them to fly a small variety of A319s and A320s, however that exemption might be ending within the subsequent couple of years, which is why Lufthansa is organising yet one more subsidiary.
So whereas Lufthansa can’t have CityLine function bigger plane in the long term, the corporate can apparently begin a model new subsidiary, and have these planes be larger, as that airline isn’t ruled by Lufthansa’s present bargaining settlement with pilots. So anticipate crews at Lufthansa Metropolis Airways to get comparable pay to Lufthansa CityLine, solely on larger jets…
It’s simply form of wonderful how unhealthy religion the negotiations are with these contracts and subsidiaries, eh? I think about that within the subsequent spherical of negotiations with mainline workers, the enlargement of Metropolis Airways may even be addressed.
From a passenger standpoint, one main distinction is that CityLine is handled the identical as any Lufthansa flight by way of incomes and redeeming miles and elite perks, whereas that gained’t be the case with Metropolis Airways.
Backside line
Lufthansa is launching one other subsidiary this week, named Metropolis Airways. The airline will function Airbus A320neos and A319s out of Frankfurt and Munich, with feeder companies just like these at present operated by Lufthansa CityLine, in addition to Lufthansa mainline jets. Finally, the airline will function A220s, and can change into fairly giant.
The intent is to have the ability to rent workers with a less expensive labor contract, with out violating the settlement with Lufthansa’s mainline pilots. Sadly for passengers, this airline additionally doesn’t include any Star Alliance recognition… at the very least as of now.
What do you make of Lufthansa Metropolis Airways?
