Lufthansa introduced a new fee for certain passengers

According to the Bild, new rules take effect July 1, 2026, and apply to long-haul flights operated by Lufthansa Group airlines, including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, and Discover Airlines.

A similar policy was previously implemented on short- and medium-haul routes; it has now been extended to a portion of long-haul operations.

The era when major carriers like Lufthansa offered most services without extra charges is gradually coming to an end. While legacy airlines once stood apart from low-cost carriers by including meals, baggage, and other amenities in the ticket price, that gap is narrowing as an increasing number of services become paid add-ons.

The change does not concern the initial seat selection at the time of booking, but specifically the process of changing a seat after check-in. If a passenger has not reserved a seat in advance, the system automatically assigns them one of the remaining available seats for free during check-in.

Until now, many travelers waited until check-in opened to see which seats remained and, if necessary, switch to a more desirable one at no extra cost. For certain fare classes, this option will now incur a fee.

A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed the policy change.

"The innovation is that passengers who are assigned a free seat during check-in and subsequently wish to change it to another available seat will be required to pay a fee going forward," the company representative stated.

The new rules apply to specific Economy and Premium Economy fares. Lufthansa has not set a flat rate for the service; instead, the fee will vary based on several factors, including the route, departure airport, and booking time. Passengers will see the exact amount only during the online check-in process.

The company also clarified that the changes will not affect all customers. The additional fee will not apply to passengers traveling on Flex fares or to certain loyalty program members with the requisite status.