Lufthansa is striking back at competition from Arabian Gulf rivals with an $111 (Dh407, €100.49) fare to Dubai.
It comes as tensions mount between regional carriers and European and North American rivals fearful of losing market share.
Eurowings will start to serve Dubai on an introductory fare of €99.99 said Karl Ulrich Garnadt, the chief executive of Lufthansa German Airlines.
“Our new Eurowings strategy is to strengthen our position in point-to-point traffic,” he said. “The new Eurowings will tackle on long-haul routes with a new brand launch, affordable ticket prices and an attractive route network.”
The planes, operated by the company’s SunExpress joint venture with Turkish Airlines, will also fly to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand and Varadero in Cuba.
The new service will escalate competition with Dubai-based Emirates which this week claimed it supported more than 85,000 jobs in Europe and contributed billions of euros to its economy.
Turkish Airlines is also moving towards increased competition with Emirates and other Gulf carriers as it aims to double its fleet to 450 aircraft by 2023 as Istanbul also pitches to become a global travel hub to rival Dubai.
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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EXPATS
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The view from The National
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.