Germany-based airline Condor has launched a public lobbying campaign against its biggest rival and former parent company, Lufthansa.
Through ads placed on aviation and tourism-focused online portals in Germany, Condor accused Lufthansa of being “anti-competitive and abusing its dominant market position.” The company claimed that Lufthansa has refused to provide feeder flights for Condor passengers at reasonable prices and with sufficient capacity, forcing Condor to reduce some of its transatlantic services.
This unusual move highlights the growing concern on Condor’s side over the long-standing disputes between the two airlines. At the end of 2020, Lufthansa terminated a special fare agreement it had with Condor, shortly after launching its own leisure-focused airline, Discover Airlines, which follows a similar business model.
According to Condor, the share of passengers transferring from Lufthansa flights has dropped from 25% to 5% in recent years, representing a significant market contraction for Condor’s long-haul operations.
