Lufthansa has introduced a new economy product it says is ideal for someone seeking bargain fares, who doesn’t need flexibility and is travelling light – ideally day-trippers and business travellers.

Germany’s flag carrier charging budget airfares – could there be a catch? Well…

Starting from April 2026, travellers can take advantage of the German airline’s Economy Basic flights for trips on 18 May onwards, available on selected short and medium haul flight routes across Lufthansa Group carriers.

“The Economy Basic fare is the ideal choice if you’re travelling only with one personal item and know when you plan to fly, as tickets cannot be rebooked and are excluded from refunds,” according to the airline.

As the “basic” label implies, the product does not include carry-on bags, checked baggage or seat reservation. However, for an additional fee, these can all be added.

What is included, you might ask? One personal item, a backpack or handbag, limited to 40 x 30 x 15 cm, making it the smallest cabin allowance of any airline in Europe.

But just how does Lufthansa’s Economy Basic cabin allowance compare to other carriers?

Ryanair and Wizzair

Ryanair’s single-class economy operations includes one small personal bag, no larger than 40 x 30 x 20 cm, as part of the airfare. Cabin and checked baggage allowances all come with an extra fee.

Wizz Air also follows a near-identical baggage allowance model to Ryanair with one small personal item no larger than 40 x 30 x 20 cm included in the base fare, with other luggage coming at an additional cost.

Last December, Wizz Air shifted gears slightly – piloting its WIZZ Class premium service on trail routes to London, Rome, Warsaw, Bucharest and Budapest. The slightly upmarket service includes an additional two cabin bags as part of the fare, alongside complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic drinks onboard.

British Airways

Lufthansa isn’t the only European flag carrier to offer an “Economy Basic” product.

The British Airways rendition of Economy Basic on Euro Traveller flights includes a handbag allowance, which also should have dimensions no larger than 40 x 30 x 15cm. However, passengers are also entitled to a cabin bag no larger than 56 x 45 x 25cm and able to fit into the overhead compartment without any troubles.

BA Euro Traveller flies to over 100 destinations across the continent from London, with a flight to Malaga starting at £49 (€56.57).

easyJet

EasyJet’s standard fares include allowance for a cabin bag no larger than 45 x 36 x 20 cm in dimension, with the option for paid add-on seat reservation or hold luggage.

As minuscule as all of these dimensions may sound, the European Union’s current position is that: “limits on the size of cabin baggage and the number of items you are allowed to take on board are set by the airlines so check with your airline before you travel”. This may soon change if the bloc is able to withstand pressure from big aviation.

In January 2026, Members of the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of bolstering passengers’ rights, including requiring airlines to allow one personal item and one small piece of hand luggage for free as part of base airfares.

“Parliament wants passengers to have the right to carry with them onto the airplane, at no additional cost, one personal item (such as a handbag, backpack or laptop) and one small piece of hand luggage with maximum dimensions of 100 cm (combined length, width and height) and seven kilograms,” the European Parliament press release said.

EU legislators have nearly exhausted the EU legal procedures to revise the airline passenger rights law, originally adopted in 2004. If EU countries don’t approve the Parliament’s text, a special committee will be convened to find an agreement on the final shape of the bill.

Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet, dismissed the proposal as “terrible for the consumer”, especially those flying with his airline, which can only accommodate the cabin bags of around two-thirds of passengers.

“There just isn’t the space in the cabin, so that’s another lunatic idea. We would go back to the days of having to offload cabin bags and put them in the hold – it was one of the number one causes of delayed boarding in the old days.”

Credits: Lufthansa

The post This airline just launched Europe’s smallest free cabin allowance (and it’s not a budget carrier) first appeared on AircrewNews.com.

One airline, two years of development, three clear principles, and four cabin classes – FOX takes off – FOX stands for Future Onboard Experience and will be Lufthansa’s new long-haul service starting May 6.

The new service concept represents one of the largest investments in the premium onboard customer experience in the airline’s history. With a clear focus on the guest, all onboard service elements and processes have been redesigned: across all travel classes and on all long-haul flights—with and without Allegris—and on all aircraft types. The new First Class service was launched at the end of March, with Business, Premium Economy, and Economy Class following on May 6.

At its core, FOX focuses on three key areas: personalization, comfort, and Signature Moments. The new onboard service sets new standards for personalization: In all classes, guests enjoy more choices and greater flexibility. Numerous details create thoughtfully designed moments of well-being and a more comfortable travel experience—in Economy Class as well as in all other classes. With Signature Moments, FOX sets distinctive accents on board that are not simply synonymous with a “better” product, but are unmistakably Lufthansa.

Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines, says: “Lufthansa is celebrating its 100th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, we are redefining the service on board our long-haul flights. Our goal is clear: We want to be the number one premium airline in Europe. To achieve this, we are investing over 70 million euros this year alone in the new premium service across all classes for our guests. These enormous financial investments during challenging times demonstrate how sustainably and resolutely we are renewing and transforming Lufthansa. I thank the entire team for their tremendous efforts over the past two years, and I am proud of what our customers can enjoy on board with us.”

Business Class Highlights

In Business Class, the new premium service offers guests a particularly memorable experience. The focus is on the culinary experience. New menus by Johann Lafer, who has already created new dishes for Lufthansa on short-haul flights, will treat passengers to the highest culinary quality and exciting combinations in the future. The new breakfast menu allows guests to choose what they’d like to eat for breakfast the following morning from a varied menu as early as the evening before—ranging from smoothies to French toast and omelets. In addition, FOX Business Class features completely new tableware. As a Lufthansa Signature Moment, there will be a cake service in the future, where guests can treat themselves to coffee and cake in classic style onboard. Also brand-new: With “Sky Selection,” guests can order their second meal on long-haul flights whenever they like—from a wide selection ranging from tapas bowls to currywurst to macarons.

Highlights of Premium Economy Class

For guests in Premium Economy, FOX is all about offering more comfort: The entire first service has been significantly upgraded: from a Business Class-level appetizer to a choice of three hot main courses, plus fresh, warm bread. In Premium Economy Class, guests can also look forward to pastries or a slice of cake; in addition, the beverage selection has been expanded, so that from now on there are more frequent drink service, greater variety, and a new digestif service.

For that little extra touch of comfort, travelers will now receive cozy slippers.

Highlights of Economy Class

FOX also offers numerous innovations for travelers in Economy Class: For the first time, Economy Class passengers will receive an amenity kit featuring a sleep mask and earplugs for a peaceful night’s sleep. Added to this are new and modern tableware—in all classes, by the way—new cutlery and trays, as well as a printed menu. The beverage selection is being significantly expanded. On flights longer than ten hours, there are now three hot main courses to choose from—instead of two as before. Freedom of choice and greater personalization thus become a quality promise in Economy Class as well.

The launch of the new premium service at Lufthansa is a logistical feat. Here are some facts and figures to prove it:

• New tableware and cutlery: 187 million individual pieces must be replaced or introduced within a short time. The individual pieces have been flown to all our departure airports worldwide in recent weeks so they are available there for return flights to Germany.
• Incredible dimensions: Approximately 300,000 Business Class main course plates are being procured just to launch FOX.
• Stacked, the plates would reach a height of 2,400 meters = 6.6 times the height of the Eiffel Tower.
• The new service was tested on more than 110 test flights
• Over 9,000 guest feedback responses and over 500 different crew feedback responses were taken into account
• There were 28 menu presentations at 57 airports worldwide for employees in preparation for the rollout

Credits: Lufthansa Airlines

The post Lufthansa launches new Premium Onboard Experience in all classes on all long-haul flights first appeared on AircrewNews.com.