Airlines

Fraport and Lufthansa Establish “FraAlliance” Joint Venture

This allows Lufthansa passengers to see checkpoint waiting times in Frankfurt via the app

Lufthansa plane was delayed 8 hours after it diverted twice

“FraAlliance” is the name of a new joint venture established by Fraport and Lufthansa. Each corporation owns 50% of the new business. The two businesses want to enhance their long-standing alliance in order to improve services at Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 1 by using FraAlliance to strengthen their current cooperation on strategic and operational issues at Frankfurt Airport. The objective is to raise the caliber of goods and services offered at Frankfurt Airport.

First Lufthansa Boeing 787 arrives in Frankfurt(Opens in a new browser tab)

The joint venture aims to enhance customer satisfaction, business growth and operations, infrastructure, intermodality, and sustainability. Process analysis and optimization in terminal operations as well as a collaborative, customer-focused approach to product development are needed to make improvements. The objective is to improve flying processes and product offerings across the entire journey while increasing the airport’s competitiveness.

The joint venture seeks to improve aspects relating to business development and operations, customer experience, infrastructure, intermodality, and sustainability. Improvements are to be achieved by analyzing and optimizing processes in terminal operations, as well as by taking a joint, customer-focused approach to product development. The goal is to bring about a journey-wide enhancement of processes and product offerings for flights while boosting the competitiveness of the airport.

Lufthansa Allows AirTags on Flights, Takes U-Turn on Previous Decisions (Opens in a new browser tab)

One initial outcome of the enhanced partnership is the availability of real-time updates for aviation security checkpoints in the Lufthansa App. This allows Lufthansa passengers to see checkpoint waiting times in Frankfurt via the app, enabling them to take these times into account when planning their schedule and travel arrangements.

Both businesses contribute equally to the FraAlliance team. Dirk Schusdziara, formerly Senior Vice President (SVP) of Commercial Affairs at Fraport AG’s Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security core unit, and Jörg Harnisch are co-leading the new joint venture (previously Head of Lean Project Management & CoE Process Improvement at the Lufthansa Group).

Airlines

A Costly Mistake: Passenger Pays for Fuel After Disruptive Flight

A Western Australian man has learned a costly lesson after his unruly behavior on a flight resulted in the aircraft having to turn back. The passenger was ordered to pay over $5,000 in fuel costs, along with a significant fine, for causing the plane to divert.

The incident occurred in September 2023 when the man, who was not publicly named, became disruptive on a flight from Perth to Sydney. Due to his behavior, the pilot was forced to turn the plane around and return to Perth, which required dumping fuel to land safely.

The passenger pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behavior and non-compliance with safety instructions. As a result, he was ordered to pay $8,630 to the airline to cover the cost of the wasted fuel and was also fined $6,055. This combined penalty of over $11,000 is a stark reminder of the severe consequences of disruptive behavior on flights.

While this is not a typical punishment, other cases of in-flight misconduct have resulted in hefty fines. One passenger in the United States was fined over $40,000 for a series of offenses, including bringing their own alcohol on board, being intoxicated, attempting to smoke marijuana, and sexually assaulting a flight attendant.

The Australian Federal Police emphasized that disruptive behavior on flights will not be tolerated. They warned that individuals who cause disturbances can face significant financial penalties and legal consequences. The case of the Western Australian passenger serves as a clear message that obeying airline staff and adhering to safety regulations is essential for a smooth and safe flight.