Germanwings - Germany’s premier low cost airline - is planning to offer transfer connections for passengers travelling via Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart and Berlin-Schönfeld airports.

The new “Smart Connect” service is a re-invention of transfers specifically for the low-cost airline carrier market and business model.  Due to the new service, Germanwings will be able to offer 141 new routes and over 500 additional connections each week, during the summer schedule.

Smart Connect flights will commence on Monday 20th August for the remainder of the summer.  Transfer connections for the winter schedule will be available at the beginning of September.  As a result of the new service, Germanwings expects 77,000 additional guests to book using Smart Connect during 2008, rising to 91,000 in 2009.

Spokesman for the Board of Germanwings, Thomas Winkelmann commented:

“Germanwings is the first pure low-cost airline in Europe to offer an innovative product like this.  Smart Connect offers convenient transfer connections at an attractive price.  With this supporting offer, we are able to access new customers in the catchment areas of our airport bases, and offer them opportunities for low-cost travel to more destinations.”

Smart Connect flights offer unbeatable value - costing less than the combined cost of two already favourably priced Germanwings flights.  Smart Connect is very user-friendly.  On booking their flights at www.germanwings.com, passengers select their route for a one-stop flight in the same way as if they were booking a non-stop flight,
and one payment covers both legs of the journey.  Passengers are required to check-in for both the first and second flights, but the transfers are made easy with preferential treatment at check-in desks located within just a few metres walk of the baggage reclaim area for the connecting flight.

Mr Winkelmann continued:  “Through this service, we are combining the advantages of transfer connections with the efficiency of a low-cost airline:  our customers get a better service and have to pay less for it”.

Smart Connect will operate on selected routes via three of Germanwings’ bases - Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart and Berlin-Schönfeld.  The chosen routes are those where passengers have at least 90 minutes between connections.

Mr Winkelmann added:  “With Smart Connect we are able to substantially increase our number of passengers.  For example, it is now possible to fly from London to Split - the second largest city in Croatia for a great price, or from Edinburgh to Dresden.”

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