Originally Posted by
alex0683de
As a general rule, LH will not allow you to change flights unless a.) it is explicitly in their best interest for operational reasons or b.) you have paid extra for a flexible ticket.
LH sells rather a lot of expensive, flexible tickets to business travellers and they see it as a revenue protection measure to make sure that everyone who did not pay for flexibility does not get any. If you could always jump on an earlier flight for free or at little additional cost, why would you bother buying a flexible ticket?
If you're on an intra-European flight, seat assignment is not possible in advance unless you hold Lufthansa Senator or HON Circle status.
However, LH offers online check-in as an alternative to choosing from whatever seats are left when you get to the airport. It opens 23 hours prior to the departure of your flight.
My
bolding -- never a truer statement made, I try to be as creative as possible with my flights but sometimes my eyes water when I see the flight costs.
My company policy is "lowest fare" --> case in point when this doesn't work in our favour a while back: meetings finished earlier than planned, cost to get home was a significant amount for a new one way ticket.
So "standby for an earlier flight" can work --> but they will make you pay the appropriate change fees which may include upfaring to the fare class available on the flight you want to take