Lufthansa
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FAA says Apple AirTags are allowed in checked baggage
The FAA says you can carry Apple AirTags in your checked baggage, and Lufthansa has rejected talk of a supposed ban.
Rimowa's electronic luggage tag is the future of traveling
Nowadays if you're flying with carry-on luggage, you can easily skip the check-in lines by doing it all online ahead of time. Sadly, it requires a few more steps if you have to check your luggage -- you still need to go print out your tag at the airport, tie it onto your suitcase and then drop it off at the counter. The folks over at Rimowa and Lufthansa are hoping to simplify that process, because for Germans, every second counts. In Hong Kong, we checked out these fancy suitcases that are updated with an embedded E Ink display -- a HK$500/€60 premium across the existing range, except for the untouchable Classic Flight series -- and hear about where Rimowa's at with this feature's rollout.
Lufthansa will charge you extra for booking flights on other websites
Be careful when choosing a website to book that upcoming trip to Munich... you may end up paying more than you have to. Germany's Lufthansa Group is introducing a €16 ($18) fee for flights booked through "global distribution systems," such as Expedia, from September 1st onward. According to the company, it's "several times" more expensive to sell tickets through these providers -- it'd much rather point you toward its own websites. The move will theoretically help slash spiraling costs for Lufthansa, which reportedly pays hundreds of millions of Euros every year to deal with these outside transactions.
PSA: Passbook supported apps now listed in iOS 6 App Store
Now that iOS 6 has officially landed, Apple has pulled back the veil revealing the first wave of apps to support its new Passbook feature. The initial group of companies to jump on the bandwagon include: Ticketmaster, Live Nation, Lufthansa, MLB.com At Bat, Sephora to Go, Walgreens and Fandango Movies. While this list is a tad bit shorter than we hoped for, it's safe to say that more apps will follow in the not-so-distant future. Want to be the first to know when they arrive? Be sure to keep an eye on the Passbook section of the App Store for the latest updates.
Boingo, Deutsche Telekom team up for international in-flight WiFi
Boingo is best known for providing WiFi on the ground, but it's now working with Germany's Deutsche Telekom to spread its paid internet access to international flights, not just flights in the US. Lufthansa trips both inside Germany as well as to Canada and the US will soon let you pay with your Boingo account to stay online while you're in the air, using DT's broadband internet access as the conduit. More airlines will be coming soon, although those of us who get itchy staying offline for more than a few hours will have to pay an unspecified premium for that connection when it's ready. Check the PR after the break for the official word. [Image credit: Jon Fingas, Flickr]
Virgin America and Lufthansa Systems unveil new in-flight entertainment system coming in 2012
Alright, so in-flight entertainment systems aren't exactly the sort of thing that people camp out for days to get first crack at. But, for those who spend a lot of time defying the laws of gravity, an upgraded seat-back system could be the difference between a pleasant trip and urinating on the cabin floor in disgust. In late 2012 Virgin America will start rolling out a new system, developed with help from Lufthansa, called BoardConnect. We don't have all the details about the next generation of Red at the moment, but we can tell you it will include an HD monitor in every headrest, improved WiFi connectivity, and the ability to interact with your personal electronics (though, how and to what end is still somewhat unclear). Each seat will have a QWERTY-equipped remote for navigation and playing games, as well as chatting with other passengers via in-flight IM. In addition to live TV, music, games, flight tracking and on-demand movies, passengers can also order in-flight meals and peruse what we presume will be an electronic version of SkyMall -- for the shopaholics on board. Check out the PR after the break for a few more details.
Lufthansa launches in-flight WiFi on intercontinental flights, ushers in 'the future'
There's just no two ways about it: what Lufthansa has managed to accomplish here is nothing short of incredible. While avid jetsetters have been enjoying in-flight WiFi on (select) domestic routes for a few years now, the in-flight fun has been coming to an abrupt halt when boarding a flight requiring a passport. The dream of long-haul in-flight internet has felt like a distant one, but it seems that the future is indeed happening today. The carrier's FlyNet service has been relaunched this week, and with assistance from Panasonic and the 802.11n gods that be, it's now offering broadband internet access on intercontinental routes. At first, the service will be limited to select North Atlantic routes, but access should be available on "nearly the entire Lufthansa intercontinental network by the end of 2011." No specific performance figures are being released, but the company does call it "extremely fast" and quick enough to open large attachments "without delay." Better still, the airline will be enabling cellphone data access (GSM and GPRS) in the spring of next year, giving highfalutin' bigwigs the ability to send and receive the most expensive text messages of their life. Deutsche Telekom will be providing the actual internet service, with pricing set as such: €10.95 (or 3,500 miles) for one hour or €19.95 (or 7,000 miles) for a 24-hour pass that also allows patrons to access the web on "on all Lufthansa connecting flights equipped with a hotspot during the period of validity as well as after the flight in Lufthansa lounges." Oh, and did we mention that it's totally free through January 31st, 2011? It is. Update: We're seeing expected uplink rates of 1Mbps, with download rates reaching 5Mbps. Not bad for being over an ocean. %Gallery-109227%
Lufthansa offers engineer who lost 4G iPhone free ticket to Germany
Nicola Lange, Lufthansa's director of marketing and customer relations for the Americas, has posted a letter on his Twitter account to Gray Powell, the Apple engineer who lost the 4G iPhone prototype in a German beer hall in Redwood City, offering complimentary Business Class tickets to Munich. "I recently read in the news that you lost a very special phone at a German beer bar in California," the letter begins. It goes on to say Lange thinks Powell could use a break and offers him the tickets to Munich where he could literally pick up where he last left off. A trip to Europe is always a great way to abandon your sorrows, but what might really help Powell right about now isn't free tickets. We're wondering if Lufthansa has any engineering positions available...
Lufthansa to add in-flight broadband by 2008 for long-hauls
Lufthansa is apparently continuing the airborne scramble to get customers connected, announcing that with the help of T-Mobile it will be reinstating its broadband service (formerly from Connexion) to its long-haul flights by 2008. While other airlines throughout Europe are racing to offer in-flight calling for shorter trips, Lufthansa says that "the vast majority told us they don't want this feature," which makes sense, since no one likes a loud-talker in an enclosed space. Instead, the Cologne-based company is rolling out a service which will allow broadband connections for laptops, text-messaging on phones, and wireless email (and data, we assume) on hand-helds, similar to recent offerings we've seen from other carriers. Of course, Lufthansa's passengers could still be annoyed by chatter if someone gets clever and decides to rock Skype on a trans-atlantic trip -- unless the airline has plans for blocking VoIP. Only they know for sure.
