Deutsche Lufthansa and Vodafone D2 agree on strategic marketing cooperation

Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Vodafone D2 GmbH are launching an exclusive strategic marketing partnership currently planned to continue for four years. 
Beginning this September, customers of both companies can collect bonus miles while making calls on the Vodafone cell phone. These can be ex-changed for flights and items from the Lufthansa Miles & More Premium Shop, which will now include Vodafone phone call credits plus cell phones and accessories in its range of products. Additional core elements of the cooperation are a new, especially economical frequent flier rates and jointly developed mobile phone services. The aim of the cooperation is to create stronger ties to existing customers and the acquisition of new customers. 

Collecting miles while on the phone: In the future, Lufthansa Frequent Travellers and Senators and Vodafone Silver, Gold, and Platinum customers can collect one Lufthansa mile per euro spent in any existing Vodafone category. The only requirement is participation in the new bonus program "VodafoneStars", which will take effect in September. 

In addition, the new Vodafone Business Traveller category, in combination with the VodafoneStars program, offers especially attractive rates per minute for telephone calls to foreign countries. For as little as EUR 0.75 per minute, customers can make phone calls from European Vodafone networks to Germany or other European countries, phone calls within one foreign country are charged at the same rate. Calls from the German Vodafone network to Europe, the U.S., and Canada are offered for only EUR 0.49 per minute. The perk: every minute charged for phone calls adds one premium mile. And as a welcome present, customers receive a 2,500 mile bonus upon acceptance into the program. 

Mobile Services: Vodafone D2 and Lufthansa's medium and long-term plans beyond the bonus program are the joint development and marketing of new mobile services. For instance, arrival and departure information can be obtained via text message through an ab-breviated phone number (82FLY), and flight plans plus personal Miles & More accounts can be accessed via WAP. Both companies want to develop these and similar services in close cooperation and offer them exclusively to their customer during the launch period. 

Lounge Services: Upon presenting their Platinum card and a Lufthansa boarding pass valid for the departure date, Vodafone Platinum customers are admitted to the Lufthansa Frequent Traveller and Business Class Lounges. Furthermore, all customers in all Lufthansa Lounges will soon be able to rent cell phone chargers for free. 

Ralf Teckentrup, Executive Vice President Network Management and Marketing of Lufthansa German Airlines is convinced that the cooperation with Vodafone is advantageous to Lufthansa customers in a number of ways: "We are pleased about the strategic marketing partnership with the world’s leading telecommunication company. Making mobile phone calls is an absolute necessity for our customers at home and abroad, therefore the new offers genuinely represent an added value." Dr. Michael Paetsch, Managing Director of Marketing at Vodafone, adds: "Our customers will benefit from the excellent products - tailored to them and their needs - of two brand worlds that are strong in their own field and beyond. In Lufthansa we have a business partner that is among the finest in the world and optimally meets our standard of exciting customers with leading innovative products."