Condor Adding Frankfurt To New York Route

Will be interesting to see how Business Class prices out on this route as it could definitely be very competitive with LH Premium Economy.

Fares from Germany to the US are disproportionately higher than from other large western European markets to the US so Condor could help bring them down, much to LH and UA's displeasure.

Route makes zero sense.

Actually, makes perfect sense:

DE loses its codeshare/interline with LH in the long-term, so it modifies its business model towards routes with high O&D for Germany...

...on which it can take advantage of its lower cost structure + those routes' potential to sustain themselves without feed, to possibly compete.

Doesn't mean they'll be successful, but the premise is fairly logical.

We flew them a few times from BWI-FRA on family trips. Great experience connecting to LH for our onward flight and BWI is so much faster clearing immigration than IAD on the return since it sees so few international flights. Wheels down to being in our car in under an hour.

Still lower than from the US to Germany and Europe?

I flew them many times decades ago when they ran charters ( maybe they still do) to/from the USA. Decent service.

Interestingly, it’s exactly two years ago that its ex-parent Thomas Cook ceased operations.

Angled seats that don't lie totally flat used to be the top of the line. In recent years, business ass is much better but not economy class. That is why the rich must be punished. High taxes, tax miles, more regulations, etc.

I was speaking on a roundtrip basis. Fares between the US and Germany are disproportionately higher than between the US and Southern Europe plus France (which have a larger leisure component) and the Netherlands, partly because Germany has a stronger, more developed business economy. Lower cost competition works best in markets that are highly concentrated as Germany is and also where fares are generally higher due to a more business-focused economy.