BERLIN: German airline Lufthansa has responded to accusations that it is raising its prices after the collapse of domestic competitor Air Berlin.
“We can prove that what has been said about alleged price increases is not correct,” Lufthansa board member Harry Hohmeister told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. “For around 95 per cent of customers prices have not changed.”
He told the newspaper that price increases did exist on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, but that these had existed earlier too.
Germany’s Federal Cartel Office confirmed on Friday that it was analysing airline ticket prices at Lufthansa.
“We have asked Lufthansa to give us information about how they are setting prices,” agency chief Andreas Mundt said. “We will look at the data and decide whether we need to start an investigation.”
Hohmeister said that his company had nothing to hide, but that ticket pricing was flexible and responsive to levels of demand.
Air Berlin, Lufthansa’s biggest competitor in the domestic German market, flew its last journey in October but had been cutting flights since September. The company’s assets have been sold to Lufthansa and Britain’s EasyJet. — dpa
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
