German Lufthansa pilots vote to strike this week

by Scott Carmichael on

If you have flights scheduled on Lufthansa this week, you may be in for a nasty surprise.

The Lufthansa pilots affiliated with the German pilots union “VC” have voted to strike from February 22nd till February 25th. As usual, the dispute revolves around pay, working conditions and job security.

As can be expected, a decent number of flights will be impacted, and the airline is warning passengers about possible lengthy delays.

When possible, passengers have already been rebooked on flights that are not impacted. To check the status of your current Lufthansa reservation, you can check “my booking” within the Lufthansa web site.

An alternative timetable is available on their site for the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th.

Airline strikes are no fun – I’ve been caught in several of them, and the best thing you can do is be prepared for the worst. Make sure you add all the local phone numbers of the airline in your phone, bring chargers and be prepared to spend the night at an airport or airport hotel (if you are lucky).

The Lufthansa information page with the latest flight status can be found here.

UPDATE: As of midnight (German time), the pilots have agreed to suspend their strike. Lufhansa posted the following statement:

Irregularities of the flight operation will continue, however, on Tuesday. We will inform you of any updates to the flight operation as soon as possible on this page.

(Image: Getty Images)

Name Lufthansa’s plane, win first class tickets around the globe

by Annie Scott on


Lufthansa is offering one million miles — enough for two first class trips around the globe — for a clever name for their new LH A380. With the 1960s “Jumbo Jet” nickname for the Boeing 747 in mind, they’re looking for something iconic and catchy. This is an opportunity to make history.

The LH A380, Lufthansa boasts, is “the world’s biggest and most modern passenger jet.” Hmm, big, modern … The Mod Mammoth? (Thanks, thesaurus.)

Only kidding of course; like I’m going to tell you my ideas.

You can get a virtual tour of the LH A380 here to help you get started. Current favorites at the top of Lufthansa’s list include The Rheino, Starflipper and Shadow of the Crane. I know you can do better than that. Get to it.

Medical Doctorate? Register with Lufthansa and get free miles

by Grant Martin on

The safest flight on which I have ever flown was between Minneapolis and Honolulu on a Northwest 757. On my way to a wedding in Maui, I happened to be on the exact same flight as 40 surgeons bound for a conference on the island. Imagine my comfort in knowing that if I choked on a mai thai there would be someone to resuscitate me.

Airlines often give an unofficial token of thanks to medical professionals who help on board a flight during an emergency. Stories range from upgrades to first class to vouchers for the in flight duty-free store to a bottle of Champagne, all small thanks for helping a fellow passenger in need.

German based Lufthansa is now making the process more official in their Doctors on Board program. MDs in the Miles and More program can register prior to departure to be “of use” during a medical emergency, and in return, Lufthansa will deposit 5,000 miles into the doctor’s account.

Note, while it does not say “medical” doctor on the proper site, the registration form does require credentials to be faxed in, so doctors of Mechanical Engineering or Judeo-Christian history need not apply, unless, perhaps, a passenger is having trouble falling asleep.

The most over-the-top first class cabins

by Katie Hammel on

While most coach flyers would kill for a little extra leg room and a free bag of peanuts, first class passengers are often living the good life with free-flowing drinks and fully-reclining seats. But there are some first class cabins that go beyond simply luxury and begin to cross into the land of excess.

For example, according to a post on Divine Caroline, Singapore Airlines offers its first class passengers Givenchy sleepwear, Ferragamo toiletry kits and personalized turndown service. Jet Airways welcomes passengers into their own private room with a door that shuts for privacy, while on Emirates, they get their very own suite, complete with personal lounge and shower.

On Lufthansa, the VIP service starts before you even board, as a Mercedes Benz chauffeurs you to the plane. Qatar Airways’ first class lounge has a Jacuzzi and full-service spa.

Some airlines turn your seat into a cinema or a four-star restaurant. Qantas Airlines’ first class seats offer a 400-channel entertainment center and an eight-course meal with wine pairings. Seats on Cathay Pacific have built massagers and flight attendants cook each passenger’s breakfast to order.

And here I was just hoping for a good in-flight movie and a few free drinks. . .

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Lufthansa and JetBlue sitting in a tree – Codesharing together

by Scott Carmichael on

Starting later this month, passengers on Lufthansa will be able to benefit from an extended route network through a codesharing agreement with JetBlue.

What this means to us regular passengers is that some JetBlue flights will also carry a Lufthansa flight number, making it possible for Lufthansa passengers to seamlessly travel from Europe to the US, and transfer to a JetBlue flight.

When the codeshare agreement is in place, this also means US passengers will be able to connect to Lufthansa flights off JetBlue feeders. The announcement did not specify whether the airlines will introduce inter-airline baggage handling and ticketing, so don’t expect the JetBlue ticket desk to be much help with your Lufthansa flight problems just yet.

This partnership is made easier thanks to a 15.6% investment the German Airline made in JetBlue, early last year.

The alliance seems a little strange, since Lufthansa is a founding member of the Star Alliance, along with US Airways and United Airlines. Still, any codeshare additions to an airline always make for easier travel, and easier travel is something we can all use.