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Germanwings Goes High-Rent

After you've cornered the market on cheap flights to destinations nobody's heard of, what is there for a budget airline to do? Not content with using their next-to-nothing airfares as a marketing ploy, low cost carrier Germanwings has started an air miles program to ensnare their pennywise customers.

Naming their scheme the "Boomerang Club" - because their customers get something back - doesn't fill me with confidence, because I've tried many times to flick a boomerang correctly. In any case, with 24,000 boomerangs, achievable by taking eight round-trip flights, passengers are subsequently entitled to a free flight anywhere in the network. Taxes and charges are still up to you, though, which could considerably dent the value of the prize: your one euro flight is free but the 36 Euro in taxes and fees comes out of your pocket. But pick your flights well and you avoid getting smacked in the head by your boomerang.

This so-called no-frills airline is also adding a branded credit card and a hotel partnership to the mix, and charging those who want to get some Boomerang Club action 5 Euro for the privilege. At the same time the airline's extended their insurance scheme to cover the costs of missed connections if your flight is delayed. Seems like Germanwings is really taking all the fun out of low-cost carrier travel. Who knows - perhaps the next step is to supply free refreshments on board. Hang on ... isn't that what real airlines do?

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