A recent ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice has led Condor Airlines to overhaul its long-haul network. The court's decision allows Lufthansa to terminate a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA) with Condor, which had enabled the leisure airline to use Lufthansa's feeder services across Europe for its long-haul flights.
The SPA had been in place since 2020 as a measure to maintain competition within the German aviation market. However, tensions between Lufthansa and Condor persisted, especially after Lufthansa launched Discover Airlines in 2021, also based in Frankfurt. The court's December ruling sided with Lufthansa, freeing it from obligations under the SPA.
Lufthansa proposed a new deal post-ruling, but Condor rejected it. As a result, the agreement was suspended on Christmas Eve. While existing bookings that include a Lufthansa feeder flight remain valid, Condor now faces challenges in maintaining its North American routes without these connections.