# Lufthansa Begins Austin Service



## saxman (Oct 16, 2018)

Looks like Austin continues to grow with another flight to Europe. In May 2019, Lufthansa will began non-stop service from Frankfurt using an Airbus A330.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/10/04/lufthansa-austin-nonstops-frankfurt/1522543002/


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## railiner (Oct 16, 2018)

According to that article, Austin will be served by both Lufthansa, and seasonally by Condor....

I had thought that Condor was a budget airline subsidiary of Lufthansa, but looked it up and see that it is now part of the Thos. Cook leisure travel group...


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## Bob Dylan (Oct 16, 2018)

More Traffic for the Growing,Too Small Austin Airport, but with Norwegian offering Bargain Fares to Europe, the others,should have to offer Lower Fares to Foriegn Destinations.!


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## PVD (Oct 16, 2018)

Thomas Cook controls Condor, former owner Lufthansa I think owns a minority interest. They still partner with Lufthansa on mileage, some lounges, and interlining.


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 17, 2018)

saxman said:


> Looks like Austin continues to grow with another flight to Europe. In May 2019, Lufthansa will began non-stop service from Frankfurt using an Airbus A330.


I've personally enjoyed Lufthansa service myself, but what growing Austin really needs is more efficient surface infrastructure and more affordable housing. That would help a lot more than these silly vanity flights through a tiny and constricted airport to cities already well served by other intrastate hubs in Houston and Dallas. In a more rational market the taxes recovered from long distance flights might help to pay for better local infrastructure, but thanks to tax giveaways and other deferments these vanity routes will pay little if anything into local coffers and simply vanish with the next market implosion. I hear Austin residents complain about their poor local infrastructure _every single time_ I visit, but I've yet to hear my first complaint about the lack of a nonstop flight to Frankfurt.



Bob Dylan said:


> With Norwegian offering Bargain Fares to Europe, the others,should have to offer Lower Fares to Foriegn Destinations.!


I respectfully disagree. The continuing race to the bottom, fanned by the likes of Ryan/Spirit/Norwegian, is a big part of why flying sucks so bad today. I already have to upgrade nearly every flight to premium economy just to fit my adult sized legs between the child sized rows. Soon I'll be forced to upgrade to First Class just to duplicate the experience of my first coach class flight.


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## saxman (Oct 17, 2018)

Devil's Advocate said:


> I've personally enjoyed Lufthansa service myself, but what growing Austin really needs is more efficient surface infrastructure and more affordable housing. That would help a lot more than these silly vanity flights through a tiny and constricted airport to cities already well served by other intrastate hubs in Houston and Dallas. In a more rational market the taxes recovered from long distance flights might help to pay for better local infrastructure, but thanks to tax giveaways and other deferments these vanity routes will pay little if anything into local coffers and simply vanish with the next market implosion. I hear Austin residents complain about their poor local infrastructure _every single time_ I visit, but I've yet to hear my first complaint about the lack of a nonstop flight to Frankfurt.


I'm sure Lufthansa thought about the housing market and other transportation infrastructure before making the decision to serve the market.




As with a downturn in the economy, lots of flights go away, domestic and international. Then they come back when things get better. As with connections I'm sure many Austinites will enjoy a one or two seat ride to Europe. More choices and more connectivity is better for everyone.


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## Devil's Advocate (Oct 17, 2018)

saxman said:


> Devil's Advocate said:
> 
> 
> > I've personally enjoyed Lufthansa service myself, but what growing Austin really needs is more efficient surface infrastructure and more affordable housing. That would help a lot more than these silly vanity flights through a tiny and constricted airport to cities already well served by other intrastate hubs in Houston and Dallas. In a more rational market the taxes recovered from long distance flights might help to pay for better local infrastructure, but thanks to tax giveaways and other deferments these vanity routes will pay little if anything into local coffers and simply vanish with the next market implosion. I hear Austin residents complain about their poor local infrastructure _every single time_ I visit, but I've yet to hear my first complaint about the lack of a nonstop flight to Frankfurt.
> ...


Nowhere in my post did I criticize Lufthansa. I'm sure this is a great deal for them, and their shareholders, but it's not even close to being better for everyone. On my last flight to AUS we were stuck with an extended off-terminal wait for a gate to open up. When we were finally able to approach the terminal our gate area was so packed we had to wait for a dense crowd of outbound passengers to make a tiny little bit of room just so we could physically enter the terminal. This experience was not limited to our gate but persisted throughout the whole terminal. I realize that I don't fly nearly as often as you do, but out of the sixty odd airports I've visited this was by far the worst crowding I've ever seen. Bringing in more vanity flights isn't going to help the people who are already fighting crowds just to use the airport they have now. If there's not enough O&D traffic to maintain a new route during bust cycle years then maybe it shouldn't be offered tax funded incentives or given tax deferred status.


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## Bob Dylan (Oct 17, 2018)

I have to agree with Chris that Austin's too Small Airport ( and the City itself!) is poorly run, and doesn't need any more flights,especially Vanity Flights, until the City can catch up with the Uncontrolled Growth that is accelerating rapidly!

Worst airport I've been too since 911 for Customer Services!


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## Long Train Runnin' (Oct 18, 2018)

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves here in this thread? 

Condor was already flying this route. It's just switching over to LH.

Granted Condor and LH have since severed ties but they used to be under the same umbrella, so I am sure they had access to how this flight was doing.

Now of course Condor is part of the IAG group, so that has changed, but LH has to see the $$$ there.

The AUS airport is certainly bursting at the seams, but there are much worse examples of this in the US and especially abroad.

I've flown there a couple times in the past 3 years every flight was oversold and seeking volunteers. A nice perk if you have a little free time on your way home.


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## Seaboard92 (Oct 18, 2018)

Condor also serves Portland seasonally but when the plane lands it sits out on the Tarmac for deplaning by stairs. Where passengers are bussed to the terminal. While departing passengers board via Jet bridge


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## NS VIA Fan (Oct 19, 2018)

Condor has been flying between Halifax and Frankfurt for several years now from May thru October. Flights are on a 767. A co-worker, originally from Germany flies every fall (Oktoberfest!) and says service is excellent.


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## railiner (Oct 19, 2018)

It seems that Condor has 'pioneered' many new international routes into its history...

I recall when they flew seasonally into the old Denver Stapleton Airport. It was the only nonstop to/from Europe until British Caledonian with great fanfare came in later...


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