Lufthansa will introduce an Economy “Light” fare on transatlantic routes this summer, the German airlines group said Tuesday, following a similar move by rival BA in an effort to compete with low-cost carriers. The new cheaper fare, which Lufthansa has been testing on some routes between Scandinavia and North America since October, allows passengers on airlines Lufthansa, SWISS, Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlines to bring only carry-on luggage on their trip, it said. For an additional fee, they can add check-in luggage or request a seat reservation.<br/>
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How badly does United want high-paying travelers? It's offering them access to a private terminal. Business-class travelers will have access to the Private Suite, a new private terminal in Los Angeles International Airport, avoiding the masses in one of the busiest air hubs in the country. Those premium-class passengers will be driven from the terminal to the tarmac to their planes in a BMW 7-Series sedan. A staff of eight is assigned to each booking, United said. The partnership is United's latest attempt to fill the front of its planes as it works to revamp the business-class product it now calls Polaris. United and other competitors such as American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are also building plusher lounges for these top-paying customers in hubs around the country. "I think this is a very smart move on United's part to compete," said Henry Harteveldt, founder of travel-industry consulting firm Atmosphere Research Group. Because it's in Los Angeles, the airline may be going after VIP travellers in the entertainment industry, who value privacy, Harteveldt added.<br/>
A smoking engine forced the evacuation of a plane at Newark Liberty International Airport. United said that when Flight 2160 from San Francisco landed at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, the air traffic control tower notified the crew that smoke was seen coming from one of the engines. Passengers exited the plane onto the taxiway and were bused by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey responders to the terminal. Port Authority police said a hydraulic fuel leak is suspected as a cause for the smoke. A few hours later, a Delta Airlines flight bound for Atlanta returned to the airport with an engine issue. A Delta spokeswoman says the plane was towed to the gate and passengers were accommodated on other flights.<br/>