A new Eurowings (Germanwings 3.0)
 

German media are reporting about Lufthansa investigating plans to build a low-coster serving the pan-European market. Obviously their brand "Germanwings" won't quite cut it for that purpose, so the new baby is supposed to be called, wait, "Eurowings".

However, it would be a new Eurowings operating A320 family jets, with the current CRJs (operating for Germanwings) planned to leave the Eurowings fleet anyhow in the mid-term.

This seems like another attempt by Lufthansa to "be all things to all men".

Given the power of the German unions (Vereinigung Cockpit and verdi) and the battles that Lufthansa has had with them in the past when trying to set up lower cost operations, it's surprising that they continue to try and muscle their way into the lo-co market.

I would suggest it will end in a fudge that will won't achieve the desired effect, and at the cost of yet more damaging industrial strife.

Still pissing in the soup, forty-odd years on
 

As a mere UK customer, I can't say I'm over thrilled (or frilled) with the current new Germanwings. I've previously done the odd short haul connection via DUS or HAM with DLH. Having just done a similar jaunt with the new "4U" I won't be rushing back. Whilst baggage can interline with ease it appears-passengers not so easy. The APP can't cope- nor on line nor check in staff. They don't even understand Twitter & the boss doesn't do replies. Next time I'm euro connecting I think 4U would be pretty low down on my choice. If DLH want to re-invent their products every year or so, then they are in danger of just gifting to the competition.

Press conference today;

LH will introduce new "Wings" Group.

Eurowings brand will serve non-German market, and is likely to have their HQ in Austria, Belgium or Switzerland, where it will start operating first, from BSL with 2-4 A320, in competition with Easyjet.

Swiss will leave BSL.

Eurowings will get up to 23 A320, 10 of which are orders for LH, the other 13 already in LH fleet. The CRJ will leave the fleet. Germanwings is still planned to grow to 60 planes. (CRJ leaveing fleet will mean a lot of change to existing Germanwings route network also).

Eurowings can operate about 20% cheaper than Germanwings.

For end of 2015, there are also plans to start long-haul flights as part of the Wings group, discussions with Turkish/Sunexpress are taking place, but LH would also be ready to do it by themselves. Plans are for 7 A330 or B767 to serve touristic long-haul markets from CGN, DUS and/or MUC.

LH also plans to use 300+seat A340 from FRA for touristic routes, but under own brand, and currently negotiates with unions about this FRA venture.
aero.de - Luftfahrt-Nachrichten und -Community

With pilots on strike earlier this week and again tomorrow for long-haul, LH is progressing with its plans:

Germanwings will disappear as a brand in Q3/2015 and become - tadaaaa - Eurowings! Eurowings will also offer the new lowcost longhaul flights that LH had announced as part of their "worldwings" strategy.

The current Eurowings fleet, Canadair CRJ900s, will start being phased out in February 2015, with the last CRJs to have gone by March 2017.

The intercont flights will have the Eurowings branding, but will actually be staffed by Sun Express Deutschland (LH&Turkish Airlines Joint Venture). Their first base will be CGN.

Livery of the new planes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHA23B7MF5s

EDIT: Important here is the distinction between Eurowings long-haul operating A330 vs the new long-haul LH arm "JUMP". The latter aimed at touristic routes from LH core market (FRA) with A340. Not confusing at all...

livery looks okay I suppose

I wonder if the rebranding to the less nation-specific branding of Eurowings might be a pre-cursor to more extensive operations outside of Germany. And whether London might see any long haul operations in next 2-3 years?

Yes and No. ;)

The name change is happening for that exact reason. It is already planned for LX to withdraw from BSL and for Eurowings to take over there and compete heads-on with Easyjet.

As for Eurowings longhaul from London - LH will use it Eurowings to defend their hometurf (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland) for now.