Frankfurt (Germany), 23 Apr. (LaPresse) – Lufthansa will no longer allow passengers to carry hand luggage free of charge on short- and medium-haul flights. The airline has announced the introduction of a new ‘Economy Basic’ fare across all airlines in the group, which includes a small personal item such as a laptop bag or a rucksack. Tickets for selected routes will be available for booking from 28 April for travel from 19 May onwards. Lufthansa justifies the decision by citing changes in passenger habits, arguing that the new fare offers an additional option at an attractive price, particularly for those on day trips. Personal items must not exceed the dimensions of 40x30x15 centimetres. Additional hand luggage or hold luggage can be booked flexibly from €15. With its new ‘Light’ offer, Lufthansa is aligning itself with the service levels of Air France, as well as those of low-cost airlines such as Norwegian Air, Ryanair, Transavia, Volotea, EasyJet, Wizz Air and Vueling.