SuperFlyBoy

Questions I would like to pose to the LH representatives here:

1. Why do you even maintain an Indian call center, when the characters who answer the phone have *no clue* how to answer simple queries about changing a ticket and cannot understand plain and simple English?

I have had these issues with them for the past 10 years - which is why I hardly ever fly on Lufthansa if I can help it.

2. Apparently now the India office of LH is not even allowed to make any changes to tickets - probably due to the clear incompetence of prior actions. If you have to change/cancel a ticket, you now have to *send them an e-mail*!??

Oh my goodness - how ridiculous is that?

(I used to accept the fact that we had to do this for M&M upgrades earlier with the Indian call center, but always try to call the other call centers where they can simply do it immediately and provide positive/negative feedback immediately - which we can then rest assured with, or take any further action)

3. I had tried to call the India call center 3x yesterday, but one cannot have the issue/s resolved - as with any other international airline?

Maybe you guys should look at how professional Emirates' India call center operates - or maybe call the India offices of SQ!

Edited to Add: You might as well transfer all calls to South Africa as you do for Germany (English) and/or the USA. (when the Canadian office is closed) At least the South African representatives are reasonably competent and polite. (Whereas the Canadians appear to be mostly very hostile/unhelpful)

4. And why does the Frankfurt general number continue to speak in German when they say they are transferring to a English representative? (Luckily I speak/understand some German, but maybe you should only continue in English if your customer has chosen (by default) to speak to an English-speaking agent? It might be confusing for them.

5. I was attempting to use United Airlines Premier upgrades to upgrade my ticket - but apparently Lufthansa has not bothered to reconnect this system for some reason - which has been down for some days. According to many United Airlines representatives, they state that when this system stops working at the Lufthansa side, it would take weeks, if not months! What is wrong over there???

6. I really love this option on LH.com:

"Refund details
E-mail address (for your refund confirmation)
I accept the terms and conditions for the refund.Terms and conditions

Refund overview
The refund amount cannot be displayed online. If your ticket fare allows any refunds, Lufthansa will calculate the amount manually and credit it to your account within the next days.Tickets purchased at a Non-Lufthansa office are cancelled online. For refund please contact the travel agency that issued your ticket.
Should your booking contain any travel insurance, this has not been cancelled. In case you wish to cancel your insurance booking, please contact the insurance provider directly."

So, we have to accept your terms and conditions overtly with *no information* as to how much we would be refunded on our ticket?? Why is that? Why are your IT systems not competent?

This sounds exactly how the India call center behaves as well! Effectively: "We have no knowledge... We have no idea... You have to send an e-mail..."

Wahnsinn!

Edited to Add (Again):

Just had to wait 30 minutes on the phone to speak to an agent - luckily she was German (great!) and was able to see/understand the ticket/conditions immediately and handled it! (Next time Franz or his successors want to remove such productive/efficient employees they should think at least 3x! We *need* them. We *need* them at FRA/MUC as well!)

What we *do not need* are powerless employees who cannot assist pax when they need to fly places on legitimate tickets, other issues, etc... (Hinting about the new IT airport system that replaced Pictures)