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LUFTHANSA is to slash fares from the UK to Germany this winter as it fights back against budget airlines and British Airways.

Europe’s biggest carrier is to roll out a new price concept on services to Heathrow and regional airports from major German cities next month. The move coincides with the launch of the winter schedule on October 27.

Minimum stays and advance booking requirements will be scrapped. Current rules demanding both legs of a flight are at the higher fare if a lower deal on one sector is unavailable have also been ditched.

The rule changes follow BA’s decision to axe Saturday night stays and advance purchase restrictions in April to enable passengers to buy cheaper off-peak tickets. The UK carrier extended the number of countries in the initiative to include Germany in July.

Lufthansa has yet to say what price cuts it will make to destinations such as Frankfurt and Munich, although the scheme has been introduced to the German domestic market with 50% off.

Executive vice-president network management and marketing Ralf Teckentrup said: “The aim is not only to offer our customers cheaper flights, but also to give them more flexibility in planning their journey.

“We are also creating the precondition for improving occupancy.”

Lufthansa is also targeting other European countries for new deals as competition from the likes of Ryanair, which is threatening to set up a German base, hots up.

BA, which already includes domestic, Scandinavian and Dutch flights within its own fares concept, currently has 170 European routes without travel restrictions at low-cost rates.