Around three years after the abolition of the free drinks service, Lufthansa is responding to the wishes and expectations of its customers. Airline boss Jens Ritter had announced a test run in several interviews, which is now becoming concrete. According to a company spokeswoman, passengers will receive free tea and coffee on selected short- and medium-haul flights. Passengers' reactions are recorded and evaluated as part of continuous customer satisfaction analyses in order to determine the next course of action. In the summer of 2021, Lufthansa stopped the free service in economy class and switched to paid offers. Passengers only received a bottle of water and a piece of chocolate for free, while hot drinks cost between 3 and 3,50 euros and tomato juice 3,20 euros. This decision was met with incomprehension by many travelers and led to complaints. In an increasingly competitive industry, Lufthansa now apparently felt compelled to respond to customer wishes and reconsider the free service. Strategic importance and competition The decision to offer free drinks again could be strategically important in order to survive in the tough competition between airlines. Many competitors still offer their passengers free drinks and the reintroduction of this service could help Lufthansa to differentiate itself from other airlines. Especially on short and medium-haul flights, where service plays an important role, this step could help to retain customers and improve the flight experience. Lufthansa emphasizes that the reintroduction of the free drinks service is in line with its efforts to increase customer satisfaction. Jens Ritter, who has been CEO of the Lufthansa Airline since the beginning of the year, has repeatedly emphasized that