Lufthansa on Airbnb: changing perceptions of the sharing economy

In a bid partly designed to in the aviation industry, . Airlines in general have benefited from lower oil prices, prompting them to offer inexpensive flights at a time when economic uncertainty and fears of terrorism have hit the sector hard. Some analysts say it has never been cheaper to fly to Europe.

Lufthansa’s move also reflects the changing perceptions of the so-called : what was once about low prices is increasingly about interesting alternatives difficult to find through other outlets or platforms.

The German flag carrier describes its seats as though they were a room. What’s more, by submitting to Airbnb’s commissions, the final cost of a flight will be subject to costs that will make its price uncompetitive, meaning that while many people may find a Lufthansa flight through Airbnb, they will likely purchase it from a site with lower commissions. That said, the initiative illustrates changing attitudes to a platform that has been seen as attacking the hotel trade.

, but they are also eating into the sector airlines love most: . Instead of using hotels, more and more executives are preferring to find an apartment close to where their meetings will be. At in Madrid, where I teach, growing numbers of executives in the Spanish capital for a couple of weeks in some of our are choosing Airbnb accommodations nearby our centric urban campus, rather than opting for a traditional hotel.

For more and more people, using Airbnb reflects the importance of finding the right kind of accommodation. In the case of airlines that choose to offer their flights on the site, it’s probably more about visibility rather than sales.

The sharing economy is growing fast, and : in the United States, . Lufthansa’s move suggests traditional companies are waking up to the potential of the sharing economy. The signs suggest that in the future this niche segment of the sharing economy could extend itself as more and more users’ experience meets their expectations, or even exceeds them, and they tell their friends and family. In the final analysis, small moves like Lufthansa’s can be seen as part of a process of normalization in our changing habits when it comes to finding accommodation.

(En español, )