Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners) - Service centre - no centre, weird service

I'm using this forum in part to inform other M&M-ers, and mainly in a last-ditch attempt to communicate with the service centre at Verl in Germany. The one with a toll-pay number in Netherlands, or a direct number in Eire.

Now then. I am a forced migrant from Swiss Travel Club. Given the empire is now LH, perhaps I am more of an internally displaced refugee.
So, when they gave me a Senator upgrade to assuage my status with them, I used it for a very pleasant flight AMS-FRA-SIN in F on a *A RTW-D. In May 2006.
The FRASIN seg was not credited to my account, and their online service didn't even recognise my ticket number, so end-October I sent them a registered letter requesting credit. (Contemporary credit requests for other flights to AFKL Flying Blue, and mails to AA, were dealt with within 24 hours).

Ten working days later, early November, after two calls to the Senator desk in .de, who told me it might take several weeks to get the credit, the mileage was credited. No extra silent bonus to say sorry, but I guess I have been spoilt over the years by AA, UA, AF etc, who have regularly corrected service lapses with nice little touches, discretely bestowed. I have rarely attained that charming status level of "Fragilisation level 1, treat with gloves on" which AF, but when it happens, wow, they win you back.

Today I got a letter dated 8 December from M&M Service in Verl.

quote
Dear Mr Osborn
You are wondering why you have still not heard from us.
To ensure you receive a detailed answer to your enquiry we must first gather all the relevant facts. We apologise for the delay but assure you that we will contact you as soon as possible.
....
endquote

Either they are referring to an incident which was closed, albeit mightily tardily, 5 weeks ago, or they have a surprise in store for me.

My observation is that they are not entirely on top of their job over there at M&M centre. LH may not have won my heart, nor my business, but I have left the door open for them, by flying them to try them. Maybe I should not expect them to be especially sensitive to a refugee like me, but a sign that they know what they are doing might stem their loss.

You know, if it was not for the fact UA treat LHLX Senators better than their own Premier Exectives, I'd have eliminated LH from my radar screen entirely.

Mainly the companies I am flying with have give all problems now and then.
KLM managed to get me out of their system on a flight to BCN. Even after showing my boarding pass they still kept on telling me i was not on that flight....
BA, just closing transfer desk at 22.30 after delayment from AMS. Their comment: we already worked an extra 30 minutes. With compliments to 60 PAX. Collect your hotel vouchers yourself and come back tomorrow for your lugage and connecting flights.
LH kicking me from row 9 to 31 without any reason and explanation.
On other hand, all companies together, 1 out of 20 return flights give free upgrades for one leg (my average).
Just couple of examples, but I do agree the service centre is really something.
Totally unpredictable if something will happen, when and what will happen. After F flight getting 'nice' gadgets at home, but these things do not take away the negative feelings about their service centre.

..You know, if it was not for the fact UA treat LHLX Senators better than their own Premier Exectives, I'd have eliminated LH from my radar screen entirely.

...That is because SEN level is the equivalent to UA 1K...;)

You did not specify if you were on LH from FRA-SIN or on SQ ?
If you were on LH it is indeed a little strange that they need 5 weeks(+) to credit your flight, espcecially if your RTW ticket was on LH ticket stock?

If the flight however was SQ, they will contact SQ to verify if indeed you were on this flight and if any credit has been given to another FFP.

One question though: If you flight was in May 2006, why wait until October to have it credited ? Perhaps this is why it is taking so long ?

PaulRO

I am not surprised at all. My missing miles claims (done through web) are not resolved for at least 4 months now (all LH segments). I did call them once and I heard the same - they need more time. Just because of those missing miles I have receive my Senator status at least one month later.

[QUOTE=Rambuster;6837338
You did not specify if you were on LH from FRA-SIN or on SQ ?
[/QUOTE]

LH of course. LH number, LH metal, LH ticket stock, LH airport, LH boarding pass, LH FRA gate person personal reassurance that my baggage had made it on board after LH transit from AMS. So I did think that I did exist. Wrong!

I did try twice online to get credit, a few weeks after the flight. And then, one kind of thinks, ach, let them sink and soak awhile, give them the space to sort it out themselves, or make a fool of themselves, as they wish, and so leave it til nearer the deadline. They might even spontaneoulsy somehow make a gesture of covering my costs of printing and mailing in (registered) my claim form. One kind of thinks.

LH of course. LH number, LH metal, LH ticket stock, LH airport, LH boarding pass, LH FRA gate person personal reassurance that my baggage had made it on board after LH transit from AMS. So I did think that I did exist. Wrong!

I did try twice online to get credit, a few weeks after the flight. And then, one kind of thinks, ach, let them sink and soak awhile, give them the space to sort it out themselves, or make a fool of themselves, as they wish, and so leave it til nearer the deadline. They might even spontaneoulsy somehow make a gesture of covering my costs of printing and mailing in (registered) my claim form. One kind of thinks.

Which class did you pay for? And for which booking class did you claim miles? It apparently happens quite often that people claim miles for an upgraded class after having used vouchers. This delays the processing. Miles are only credited for the class you pay for.

LH is very bad with retrocredits at the moment.
It may take up to 10 weeks.
Use every mean of communication: Fax, Letter, Online-retrocredit, Email via the online contact form.

Always make copies of your stuff you send in.

Sad but real.
Welcome to the club!
(BTW. has been discussed in many threads before!)

Which class did you pay for? And for which booking class did you claim miles? It apparently happens quite often that people claim miles for an upgraded class after having used vouchers. This delays the processing. Miles are only credited for the class you pay for.


Thanks Yemona, but I think I know the rules, and my rights.
I am not one of your 'apparently' people. Just like the other person thought I may not know the difference between LH and SQ. Seems some people apparently think that the world is heavily populated by 'apparently people'. You teach me a lot, thanks.

Not me. I am your original, informed, honest customer. I am occasionally victim of my own ignorant idiocies (but not here), and never of fraudulent tendencies. [put your own smiley here].

Of course I was only expecting a credit for the class paid. So for a D ticket flown in F I was expecting a C credit. Plus my Senator bonus. This is what I claimed for. And this is what I got. In the end.

What I was not expecting was the long time for the credit, nor the letter received this week from M&M telling me to 'hold on, solution is coming soon' when the matter has been resolved 5 weeks ago.

I think I have a right to more competence than that.

Thanks Yemona, but I think I know the rules, and my rights.
I am not one of your 'apparently' people. Just like the other person thought I may not know the difference between LH and SQ. Seems some people apparently think that the world is heavily populated by 'apparently people'. You teach me a lot, thanks.

Not me. I am your original, informed, honest customer. I am occasionally victim of my own ignorant idiocies (but not here), and never of fraudulent tendencies. [put your own smiley here].

Of course I was only expecting a credit for the class paid. So for a D ticket flown in F I was expecting a C credit. Plus my Senator bonus. This is what I claimed for. And this is what I got. In the end.

What I was not expecting was the long time for the credit, nor the letter received this week from M&M telling me to 'hold on, solution is coming soon' when the matter has been resolved 5 weeks ago.

I think I have a right to more competence than that.


You are right, this irritating letter was silly and should not have been sent to you if they credited the miles 10 working days after you sent the ticket in.
Glad to hear that you got what you claimed for.
Hope you will give LH another chance to meet your expectations.

LH of course. LH number, LH metal, LH ticket stock, LH airport, LH boarding pass, LH FRA gate person personal reassurance that my baggage had made it on board after LH transit from AMS.

A crumb of comfort for you. The situation becomes totally Kafkaesque if you try to get credit for flights with partners. M&M have the original documentation of some TAP flights which weren't credited, yet want me to photocopy boarding-card stubs, dredge up ticket numbers and fax these off to Victoria/M&M in Lisbon while standing on my head and reciting "there's no better way to fly".

Screw the miles - life's too short for all this!

What I was not expecting was the long time for the credit, nor the letter received this week from M&M telling me to 'hold on, solution is coming soon' when the matter has been resolved 5 weeks ago.

I got one of those letters as well recently. I had absolutely no idea what they were referring to...

As for retrocredit I found using my local Miles and More service office to be very efficient. Miles are credited the next day. Send off the docs on Monday, have the miles on Tuesday ^ :p

HTB.

LH may not have won my heart, nor my business, but I have left the door open for them, by flying them to try them. Maybe I should not expect them to be especially sensitive to a refugee like me, but a sign that they know what they are doing might stem their loss.


You know it is like with any relationship. If you are messing with too many others and you are not willing to commit to LH in the long run, than that is what you get.

I receive the attention I desire from LH. Always. Now that does not mean LH is flawless, but that is what makes a good relationship - you work it out and typically everyone is happy afterwards. This is despite my current non top tier status with LH. I am in love with this company - and I receive the love I am looking for in return.