Germanwings

Germanwings was a German low-cost passenger airline associated with the Lufthansa Group. Its origins lay in a low-cost operation established by Eurowings in 1997; Germanwings GmbH became a separate company on 27 October 2002. The airline developed a point-to-point European network built around Cologne Bonn, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Berlin Tegel and Munich, with additional operations from airports including Hannover and Dortmund. Its fleet was centered on Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft, although it briefly evaluated Boeing 717 aircraft during the winter of 2004–05. Lufthansa became Germanwings’ sole owner on 1 January 2009. The airline subsequently became a major instrument in Lufthansa’s effort to move non-hub short-haul flying away from Frankfurt and Munich into a lower-cost operating model. Beginning in 2013, Lufthansa transferred routes, aircraft and parts of its short-haul network to Germanwings. The airline introduced a revised visual identity and a tiered fare structure that included Basic, Smart and Best products. These offerings ranged from an unbundled fare with limited inclusions to packages with checked baggage, onboard refreshments and selected lounge benefits. Germanwings also sold food and drinks through its Sky Bistro buy-on-board service and experimented with destination-based Blind Booking, in which customers selected a travel theme and departure base while the specific destination was assigned later. The transfer of Lufthansa routes expanded Germanwings to more than 130 European destinations at its peak. The airline generally operated an all-economy cabin and was positioned between traditional network-airline service and ultra-low-cost competition from carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet. It also used promotional aircraft liveries, including designs connected with German cities and commercial partners. In January 2015, Lufthansa announced that the Germanwings brand would be replaced by Eurowings as part of a broader restructuring of its European point-to-point business. From October 2015, Eurowings assumed dozens of routes, and Germanwings increasingly operated aircraft and flights for its sister brand rather than marketing an independent airline. Germanwings’ website and social-media presence were redirected to Eurowings in 2016. The airline’s IATA code 4U was retired in March 2018, after which operations used Eurowings’ EW designator. Germanwings remained a legal and operating entity for a period, including wet-lease and other support flying, but its independent brand identity had largely disappeared. Germanwings was also associated with the crash of Flight 9525 on 24 March 2015. The Airbus A320 flying from Barcelona to Düsseldorf crashed in the French Alps, killing all 150 people aboard. The official investigation concluded that the co-pilot intentionally brought the aircraft down while alone in the cockpit. The disaster led to intense scrutiny of pilot medical confidentiality, cockpit access and airline safety procedures, although it was not itself a finding of corporate criminal wrongdoing by Germanwings. On 7 April 2020, Lufthansa announced that Germanwings would be shut down amid the collapse in air travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the group’s restructuring. Flight activity ceased on 20 April 2020, and the remaining operations and corporate activity were folded back into Eurowings.

Germanwings emerged from a low-cost initiative created by Eurowings in 1997. The operation was incorporated as Germanwings GmbH on 27 October 2002, establishing a distinct airline focused on affordable European point-to-point travel. In December 2005, it agreed to acquire Airbus A319 aircraft, which became the principal type supporting its expansion. The company also leased two Boeing 717-200 aircraft for evaluation during the winter of 2004–05, but did not proceed with an order for that type. A proposed combination of Germanwings, Eurowings and TUIfly was considered in 2008 as a possible response to Air Berlin, LTU, easyJet and Ryanair. That plan was not implemented. Instead, Lufthansa acquired full ownership of Germanwings on 1 January 2009. The airline became part of Lufthansa’s effort to separate lower-cost European point-to-point flying from its traditional hub operations at Frankfurt and Munich. In 2012, Lufthansa announced that many short-haul routes serving German cities other than Frankfurt and Munich would be transferred to Germanwings. The transfers took place principally between spring 2013 and autumn 2014, with Düsseldorf among the final major locations to be moved. Germanwings received additional aircraft and routes and was expected to operate roughly 90 aircraft during the restructuring. By early January 2015, nearly all relevant Lufthansa national and international routes had been transferred, apart from the principal Frankfurt and Munich hub networks and certain Düsseldorf long-haul routes. The relaunch brought a new corporate design and a more explicitly segmented fare system. Basic provided a largely unbundled travel product, while Smart and Best included progressively more services. The airline operated economy-only cabins, sold refreshments through Sky Bistro and published a bilingual inflight magazine. Its Blind Booking product allowed customers to choose a departure base and a destination category while leaving the exact city to a later assignment, often at a lower price than a conventional destination-specific booking. Germanwings’ development was affected by labor disputes involving the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots’ union. Pilots struck nationally in April 2014 over retirement arrangements and related employment terms, and another strike took place in September of that year. These disputes occurred in parallel with wider Lufthansa pilot industrial action. The 24 March 2015 crash of Flight 9525 became the defining event in the company’s public history. The aircraft crashed in the French Alps during a Barcelona–Düsseldorf flight, killing 150 passengers and crew. Investigators determined that the co-pilot intentionally initiated the descent and prevented the captain from re-entering the cockpit. The event prompted discussion and regulatory responses concerning pilot health information, cockpit access and airline safety oversight. In January 2015, Lufthansa had already decided to replace Germanwings with Eurowings. On 25 October 2015, Eurowings took over 55 routes previously operated under the Germanwings name. Germanwings continued as an operating company, increasingly providing wet-lease services for Eurowings, while sales, websites and social-media channels moved to Eurowings. In 2017, Lufthansa announced plans to reduce the Germanwings fleet, partly because newer aircraft obtained through an Air Berlin wet-lease arrangement were considered more economical. In March 2018, the 4U code was replaced by Eurowings’ EW code. Remaining bases and operating responsibilities continued to shift within the group, including changes involving Pristina and Munich in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the end of the company. Lufthansa announced Germanwings’ closure on 7 April 2020, and all flight operations stopped on 20 April. The brand and remaining activities were absorbed into Eurowings as part of Lufthansa Group’s restructuring.

• 2020

  Closure and absorption into Eurowings

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Lufthansa announced the shutdown of Germanwings on 7 April, with flight operations ending on 20 April.

• 2018

  4U code is retired

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Germanwings ceased using its 4U IATA designator and operated under Eurowings’ EW code.

• 2015

  Eurowings begins taking over Germanwings routes

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Eurowings assumed 55 Germanwings routes from 25 October as Lufthansa consolidated its low-cost short-haul business.

• 2015

  Flight 9525 crash

  [2]Germanwings Flight 9525en.wikipedia.org

  Germanwings Flight 9525 crashed in the French Alps on 24 March, killing all 150 people aboard.

• 2013

  Lufthansa route-transfer program begins

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Lufthansa began moving non-hub short-haul routes and aircraft into Germanwings and introduced a revised Germanwings product and corporate design.

• 2009

  Lufthansa takes full ownership

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Germanwings became wholly owned by Lufthansa on 1 January.

• 2005

  Airbus A319 procurement agreement

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Germanwings signed an agreement covering 18 Airbus A319-100 aircraft and options for 12 more.

• 2002

  Germanwings GmbH becomes a separate company

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  The low-cost operation was formally established as Germanwings GmbH on 27 October.

• 1997

  Eurowings establishes a low-cost operation

  [1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Eurowings created the low-cost department from which Germanwings ultimately developed.

Low-cost and value-oriented European short-haul airline

• Airfare · 2013

  Basic

  Germanwings’ most stripped-back fare offered low-cost travel with no inclusive catering and only limited hand baggage. It represented the airline’s unbundled proposition for price-sensitive European passengers.

• Airfare · 2013

  Smart

  Smart was a mid-tier fare designed to provide a broader service package than Basic. It formed part of Germanwings’ attempt to combine low-cost economics with selected features associated with conventional European airline travel.

• Airfare · 2013

  Best

  Best was Germanwings’ most inclusive principal fare. Depending on the route and passenger status, it included checked baggage, snacks and drinks, and access to selected lounges for eligible Miles & More members.

• Onboard ancillary service

  Sky Bistro

  Sky Bistro was Germanwings’ onboard buy-on-board program for food and beverages. It supported the carrier’s low-cost model by allowing passengers to purchase refreshments rather than receiving a universally included catering service.

• Travel booking product

  Blind Booking

  Blind Booking allowed customers to select a Germanwings base airport and a destination theme, such as culture or nightlife, while the precise destination was assigned after purchase. The product offered an entertainment-oriented way to sell seats on selected European routes.

• Blind Booking

  Europe

  Germanwings marketed destination-themed tickets in which customers selected a departure airport and category but did not choose the exact destination in advance.

  Outcome. The product remained a distinctive promotional and booking feature until the Germanwings brand was discontinued.

  Source

• 2020

  Closure during COVID-19 restructuringStrategy

  Background

  The pandemic caused severe disruption to air travel and prompted Lufthansa Group to restructure its airline portfolio.

  Action taken

  Lufthansa announced Germanwings’ shutdown on 7 April and halted all flight activity on 20 April.

  Aftermath

  Germanwings was closed and its remaining corporate and operating activities were folded back into Eurowings.

  Source

• 2015

  Replacement of Germanwings by EurowingsStrategy

  Background

  Lufthansa decided to consolidate its European low-cost short-haul product under a single Eurowings brand.

  Action taken

  Eurowings assumed routes and sales responsibilities while Germanwings increasingly operated as a sister-company wet-lease provider.

  Aftermath

  The Germanwings name was progressively removed from websites, social media, flight designators and customer-facing operations.

  Source

• 2012

  Transfer of Lufthansa non-hub short-haul routesStrategy

  Background

  Lufthansa wanted to move point-to-point flights outside its Frankfurt and Munich hubs into a lower-cost structure.

  Action taken

  The group transferred routes and aircraft to Germanwings between 2013 and early 2015 and relaunched the airline with a revised design.

  Aftermath

  Germanwings expanded substantially and operated more than 130 European destinations at its peak.

  Source

• 2009

  Transfer of Germanwings to full Lufthansa ownershipM&A

  Background

  Lufthansa sought greater control over its low-cost and short-haul activities.

  Action taken

  Germanwings became wholly owned by Lufthansa on 1 January 2009.

  Aftermath

  The airline was integrated into Lufthansa Group planning and later used as the main recipient of many non-hub short-haul routes.

  Source

• 2020

  Lufthansa announces closure of Germanwings[1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Lufthansa announced the closure of Germanwings during the COVID-19 travel downturn and group restructuring. Germanwings flight activity stopped on 20 April 2020.

• 2018

  Germanwings retires its 4U designator[1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Germanwings abandoned its IATA code 4U and used Eurowings’ EW designator for its remaining operations.

• 2015

  Germanwings Flight 9525 crashes in the French Alps[1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  An Airbus A320 operating from Barcelona to Düsseldorf crashed near Digne-les-Bains in southern France on 24 March 2015, killing all 150 people aboard. Investigators concluded that the co-pilot deliberately caused the crash while alone in the cockpit.

• 2015

  Lufthansa announces replacement of Germanwings by Eurowings[1]Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Lufthansa announced that its European low-cost short-haul product would be consolidated under the Eurowings brand, beginning the progressive withdrawal of Germanwings as a consumer-facing airline.

1. 1Germanwingsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Germanwings Flight 9525en.wikipedia.org