Horrible Experience with Germanwings
Sep 3, 2015, 5:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3
Horrible Experience with Germanwings
We recently had a terrible experience with a Germanwings Rail & Fly ticket due to no fault of our own. We wound up stuck in Germany for 4 days/3 nights and Germanwings would not help us. We even walked into their headquarters in Cologne asking to speak to someone regarding a customer service issue. I said to the receptionist, I realize this is probably rare for you, a frustrated customer walking in off the street asking to speak with someone and she replied that it was not. I cannot find any emails for their executives online and would really like my voice to be heard. Does anyone have an email address for Thomas Winkelmann? Thank you.
Sep 3, 2015, 6:02 am
#2
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What exactly is the issue?
If you provide the facts, there are many here who can provide you useful advice as to what has (and has not worked) for them. Generally speaking, writing letters to senior executives is a pointless waste of time as it simply delays the complaint getting to the people who actually look at them. But, perhaps not.
If you provide the facts, there are many here who can provide you useful advice as to what has (and has not worked) for them. Generally speaking, writing letters to senior executives is a pointless waste of time as it simply delays the complaint getting to the people who actually look at them. But, perhaps not.
Sep 3, 2015, 7:07 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,961
Forget about it. You will get no personal contact to Senior Execs. They will just pass it down to customer services.
Contact the official customer services team, claim compensation and reimbursement of costs incurred to you.
Keep that mail short and precise to the point.
Whining, blaming, telling long stories or even worse threatening to never fly GermanWings, LH or affiliated airlines will do you no good. More the opposite...
Contact the official customer services team, claim compensation and reimbursement of costs incurred to you.
Keep that mail short and precise to the point.
Whining, blaming, telling long stories or even worse threatening to never fly GermanWings, LH or affiliated airlines will do you no good. More the opposite...
Sep 3, 2015, 7:16 am
#5
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Claim compensation? For what? We don't even know what it is that has OP so upset. That is why posts which simple reproach, but provide no facts are of little value, including to the OP.
Sep 3, 2015, 7:18 am
#6
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Sep 3, 2015, 7:58 am
#7
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As this is specific to Germanwings, please follow as the thread moves to the Lufthansa Group forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Sep 3, 2015, 8:50 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,961
Being stuck in Germany for 4 days most probably qualifies for EU 261 compensation (assuming thy had a valid ticket).
Sep 3, 2015, 8:56 am
#9
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Even if you missed a train or had a flat tire on the way? There's really no details in the post that started this thread to determine what the issue is, let alone if compensation is due.
Sep 3, 2015, 11:58 am
#10
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1. Car broke down on the way to the airport, through no fault of OP's.
2. Wrong paperwork and denied boarding.
3. Missed cut off for check-in.
Next available was 4 days later.
But, you suggest that EC 261/2004 would grant compensation.
I say, OP needs to provide facts and then people can provide suggestions.
Sep 3, 2015, 10:35 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: AMS/RTM
Posts: 2,826
Had I missed the check-in deadline, would the airline had taken care of me? I have my doubts but I wonder if someone has direct experience.
Needless to say, I now avoid those connections.
Sep 3, 2015, 11:12 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
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Posts: 38,257
We even walked into their headquarters in Cologne..
OP specified that it was due to no fault of his own ... I guess that rules out all of the above. Unless he uses a very liberal reading of 'fault'.
Sep 4, 2015, 1:15 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,751
This makes sense, as with AirRail, LH is only offering certain trains with a set connecting time, and boarding cards are issued for the train journey. For Rail&Fly, the airline has no control over which train the passenger takes.
Germanwings prints the below on Rail&Fly tickets:
When choosing your connection, you must ensure that even in the event of a delay you will arrive at the departure airport at least two hours before departure. All passengers are responsible for ensuring that they reach the airport on time. Germanwings/Eurowings accepts no liability for flights missed due to delayed buses or trains.
Sep 4, 2015, 9:05 pm
#15
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