As part of its rebranding initiative, Germanwings has unveiled a diversified product offering that will from July 2013 allow passengers to select from one of three service packages - Basic, Smart and Best.

The Basic airfare corresponds to a conventional low-cost product, Germanwings says, with no checked baggage allowance or onboard catering included in the ticket price. It applies to seats in row 11 backwards, which have a 30-inch (762mm) seat pitch.

The Smart fare - described as the "new standard fare" by the carrier - is akin to a conventional economy product on a full-service carrier. This bracket includes an onboard snack, a baggage allowance of one 23kg checked item, and a 32-inch seat pitch.

In the front three rows, the Best fare features a 32-inch seat pitch, an empty middle seat, and a baggage allowance of two 23kg items. Passengers further benefit from access to Lufthansa lounges, priority check-in, fast-lane security checks, à la carte on-board catering and flexible rebooking.

Best seats will initially be available on all domestic connections in Germany as well as "core" routes to Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, France and the UK.

"With Germanwings, we are setting new standards in the European airline industry," says chief executive Thomas Winkelmann. "The new product offers customers the best features of low-cost carriers and traditional airlines."

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news