I have a PNR that I cannot fly because my destinations are affected by the pandemic. I canceled my UA PNR without issue, and called LH for refund of advanced seat assignment fees (more legroom). I was advised that I can only get a refund, if the PNR was rerouted or canceled by LH. No refund for "voluntary" cancellation.
A few years ago, I had to cancel a PNR. At the time, LH said I had to cancel the UA PNR first, and then LH would refund the seat fees. Which they did, promptly. An old thread on a different forum captured the policy:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/port...167843163&l=en (page no longer working)
Refunds of paid-for seat reservations
Seat reservations that have already been paid for are refundable in the following cases:
- A schedule change by Lufthansa, e.g. a change to the aircraft type deployed, means that no equivalent seat can be made available to you on the new flight.
- An unforeseen disruption, such as bad weather, means you have to be rebooked on another flight on which there is no equivalent seat available for you.
- You cancel your flight and your ticket is refundable.
[ ... etc ...]
Looking at LH site today, I find this:
https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/seat-reservation-economy-class
Fees paid for advance seat reservations cannot be reimbursed if the following apply:
Generally, the pandemic resulted in more flexible policies. Is this a departure from that trend?