Integration of LCC service to Europe ahead?

[Carolinian]

There are interesting potential developments among airlines that may portend more integrated low cost carrier service to and throughout Europe. Two recent acquisitions have combined ownership of longhaul trans-Atlantic LCC's with intra-Europe LCC's.

First rapidly growing German LCC Air Berlin, whose route network is within Europe and near Europe bought long established German longhaul low cost carrier LTU.

More recently, the granddaddy of trans-Atlantic low cost carriers Icelandair has purchased Prague-based LCC Smart Wings, which has a decent network within Europe.

Hopefully integration between carriers in each of these situations will open up seamless LCC travel to many destinations in Europe from US gateways. Now, they only need to hook on a US LCC partner.

[Carolinian]

Websites of the airline pairs:

www.icelandair.com
www.smartwings.net

(I suspect we will see Prague as a new Iceland Air longhaul destination to tie the two together)

www.airberlin.com
www.ltu.com

(on some of these sites, you need to click on the British flag to bring up the English version of the site)