German leisure company Condor is cutting its US route map by 2025.
This week, the airline notified four American airports of its plans to end its seasonal nonstop service to Frankfurt.
Next year, the carrier will stop flights from its German hometown to San Antonio International Airport (SAT), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
As part of the network shake-up, Condor is also cutting two additional North American routes to Edmonton and Halifax in Canada.
The court’s decision made a change
In scaling back its 2025 plans in North America, Condor cited a recent German high court ruling that appears likely to reduce its passenger numbers in the new year.
As part of Germany’s antitrust laws, the country’s flag carrier, Lufthansa, was required to allow Condor passengers flying to Frankfurt to seamlessly connect to Lufthansa flights. That law allowed American passengers to reach almost all of Germany with Condor reservations.
But a recent decision by the German Court of Justice overturned those rules, Condor said in announcing the route cuts.
“This is not a decision we take lightly,” Condor business director Jens Boyd said in a statement on Monday. “We deeply regret the loss of connectivity and service this will cause.”
San Antonio is losing its only European service
The end of Condor service is a bit of a blow to San Antonio, which recently saw the airline launch nonstop flights to Frankfurt this year — its first (and only) nonstop service to Europe.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the best news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG experts
Now, it appears San Antonio passengers will once again be out of non-stop transatlantic options in 2025, barring another carrier announcement.
As of now, SAT’s only international offerings include a dozen or so short flights to Mexico.
“We will continue to work on expanding nonstop service from SAT,” said flight director Jesus Saenz, Jr. in the statement. “Our community has long been asking for help going to Europe, and last summer’s numbers proved that we have a market that can sustain endless resources.”
Read more: Condor premium economy A330neo review: Is it worth the extra cost?
Condor’s US growth has been disrupted
Condor’s decline in North America comes after breakneck transatlantic growth in recent years.
According to data from the aviation analysis company Cirium, its total seats between the US and Germany were up 50% in 2024 compared to 2023. That’s after a 30% increase last year.
Condor’s colorful flights are rare, and its flights are accessible not only to travelers willing to pay for a seat but also to passengers using points and miles. For example, the carrier has a frequent flyer connection with Alaska Airlines, which allows Mileage Plan members to redeem their Alaska miles on Condor flights.
Come summer 2025, travelers should still be able to fly Condor to Frankfurt from nine US cities, including eight in the continental US and from Anchorage, Alaska.
Related reading:
Source link
