German carrier Lufthansa said it has simplified its free baggage allowance policy and will adopt the 'piece concept' on all its flights starting from next month.

This concept has been successfully implemented a while ago on many of the airline’s long-haul flights on North Atlantic routes, particularly, Lufthansa said in a statement. The new rules apply to all tickets purchased on or after 1 June 2011, it added.

Under the piece concept, passengers are entitled to check in a specified number of baggage items free of charge, depending on their travel class, the Lufthansa statement said.

Weight restrictions also apply and are graduated according to Economy, Business and First Class. Depending on their status, Miles & More members can check in additional items free of charge, it added.

In some cases, passengers will have a significantly higher weight allowance than under the previous weight concept. The free baggage allowance for those travelling in Economy Class to Europe, for example, has been increased from 20 kg to 23 kg.

In Business Class, passengers may check in two items of baggage – in First Class three – each weighing up to 32 kg, the German carrier said.

In future, under the new Lufthansa baggage rules, the free baggage allowances per passenger (in comparison to the former weight concept) will be as follows:

•Economy Class: 1 item of baggage weighing up to 23 kg (previously: any num-ber of baggage items weighing a total of 20 kg).
•Business Class: 2 items of baggage weighing up to 32 kg each, i.e. a maximum of 64 kg (previously: any number of baggage items weighing a total of 30 kg).
•First Class: 3 items of baggage weighing up to 32 kg each, i.e. a maximum of 96 kg (previously: any number of baggage items weighing a total of 40 kg).

For infants (under two years of age) without their own seat, the free baggage allowance remains unchanged: one collapsible pushchair plus one item of baggage weighing a maxi-mum of 23 kg.

Customers who would like to check-in additional baggage items in future benefit from a transparent and simplified pricing concept with attractive prices for excess luggage. There will only be two flight categories: European and intercontinental, the German carrier said.

Depending on its dimensions and its weight, each item of excess baggage will be charged at a flat rate, and not per kilo as in the past. In Economy Class, a worldwide flat rate of 50 euros will be charged for a second item of up to 23kg and a maximum of 158cm in overall dimensions.

Any further extra bag with the above maximum weight and dimensions will incur a charge of 50 euros ($71.2) on European routes and of 150 euros ($213.8) on intercontinental routes, Lufthansa said.

The former weight concept at times resulted in much higher excess baggage charges, it stated.

In addition to their checked-in baggage, Lufthansa passengers travelling in First or Business Class can take two items of hand baggage on board; in Economy Class the free baggage allowance is one item of hand baggage, as before.

Each piece must not weigh more than eight kg, and the linear dimensions may not exceed 55 x 40 x 20 cm. The maximum size of a folding garment bag is 57 x 54 x 15 cm.-TradeArabia News Service

c.martinez@asdaa.com