Lufthansa Group. Photo: Lufthansa Group After recently announcing it will cut roughly 20,000 flights on unprofitable routes in Zurich and Munich in light of the rising fuel costs, Lufthansa has fresh news. The group has announced a significant change to its ticket price structure for short- and medium-haul flights, introducing a new, cheaper fare called Economy Basic that offers fewer included services.
Starting April 28, 2026, the move will be implemented gradually, for flights departing from May 19, covering the group's companies: Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Lufthansa City Airlines and Air Dolomiti.
According to the company's announcement, the new ticket will only include a small personal item, such as a small backpack or computer bag. Passengers who wish to bring a trolley into the cabin or check a suitcase in the plane's hold will be required to pay a separate fee or choose a more expensive fare.
At the same time, the Lufthansa Group announced that the existing Light fare will be upgraded and, in the future, will include the option to change the flight date for a fee.
After the move, customers will have access to four price levels in economy class and three levels in business class.
Although the company presents the move as expanding the options, in reality, it is also tightening the conditions of the cheapest fare, while moving to a model more similar to low-cost airlines, a low base price, and paid add-ons.