Feedback thread for the official LH Lurker(s), LufthansaGermanAirlines
Jan 21, 2015, 5:20 am
#961
Company Representative - Lufthansa Airlines
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,261
Dear LH Lurker, I am hoping you can help me with this, or at the very least, give me some advice.
I flew Delta Flight 2646 from SLC to EWR on January 14th, and transferred to Austrian Flight OS 90 from EWR to VIE, also on January 14th (with a 2 hour layover). This was in the same terminal (B) of EWR.
My bag was checked through to VIE since Delta has an interline agreement with Austrian. I checked many times with gate agents and check-in agents during the course of my journey if all was well with my checked bag. They reassured me that I could pick it up in Vienna. Of course, my bag never made it to Vienna.
I filed a PIR in Vienna on January 15th morning (ref no. VIEOS35859). Its been 4+ days now and Austrian Airlines tells me that they have NO information regarding my bag. The case is now being handled by their "Central Baggage Tracing" office who are doing an "intensive search" until March 1st. I have provided them with a list of the contents of the bag.
I have been speaking with Delta daily as well, and they tell me that the bag was handed over to Austrian ("Delivered to Claim Area 1") at EWR, and I should follow up with them. My bag had a name tag with my name and office address on it, and also a red ribbon distinguishing it from other similar bags.
I have a few questions:
1. What does the "intensive search" by the central baggage tracing office entail? Do I have any hope of them finding my bag? What are the statistics regarding successful finds vs total cases in this type of search?
2. My bag had at least 4+ liters of liquids in it (shampoos, whiskey, meds), and an unused e-cigarette with a heating coil. Would this have put it as risk for extra security screening? If so, wouldn't the airlines have been notified? Also, how long would this screening generally take?
3. I have relatives that live near Newark (EWR) Airport. Would it help for them to go over and ask about the bag at the Delta and Austrian desks?
4. I had many expensive clothes in the bag for which I don't have receipts any more. How can I go about ensuring that I be compensated for these in case the bag is completely lost?
5. I did have a new camera and lens in the bag (very stupid of me, I know). Is it true that I cannot be compensated for electronic items in checked-in baggage? I have read otherwise, ie article 22(2) of the Montreal Convention etc.
6. Can I do anything else to try and find my bag? It would terrible to lose many personal things that I have acquired over a long period of time
Thank you for your help,
FlyingPhysicist
I flew Delta Flight 2646 from SLC to EWR on January 14th, and transferred to Austrian Flight OS 90 from EWR to VIE, also on January 14th (with a 2 hour layover). This was in the same terminal (B) of EWR.
My bag was checked through to VIE since Delta has an interline agreement with Austrian. I checked many times with gate agents and check-in agents during the course of my journey if all was well with my checked bag. They reassured me that I could pick it up in Vienna. Of course, my bag never made it to Vienna.
I filed a PIR in Vienna on January 15th morning (ref no. VIEOS35859). Its been 4+ days now and Austrian Airlines tells me that they have NO information regarding my bag. The case is now being handled by their "Central Baggage Tracing" office who are doing an "intensive search" until March 1st. I have provided them with a list of the contents of the bag.
I have been speaking with Delta daily as well, and they tell me that the bag was handed over to Austrian ("Delivered to Claim Area 1") at EWR, and I should follow up with them. My bag had a name tag with my name and office address on it, and also a red ribbon distinguishing it from other similar bags.
I have a few questions:
1. What does the "intensive search" by the central baggage tracing office entail? Do I have any hope of them finding my bag? What are the statistics regarding successful finds vs total cases in this type of search?
2. My bag had at least 4+ liters of liquids in it (shampoos, whiskey, meds), and an unused e-cigarette with a heating coil. Would this have put it as risk for extra security screening? If so, wouldn't the airlines have been notified? Also, how long would this screening generally take?
3. I have relatives that live near Newark (EWR) Airport. Would it help for them to go over and ask about the bag at the Delta and Austrian desks?
4. I had many expensive clothes in the bag for which I don't have receipts any more. How can I go about ensuring that I be compensated for these in case the bag is completely lost?
5. I did have a new camera and lens in the bag (very stupid of me, I know). Is it true that I cannot be compensated for electronic items in checked-in baggage? I have read otherwise, ie article 22(2) of the Montreal Convention etc.
6. Can I do anything else to try and find my bag? It would terrible to lose many personal things that I have acquired over a long period of time
Thank you for your help,
FlyingPhysicist
I therefore highly recommend contacting Austrian Airlines for further info (also to find out about where to enquire about compensation).
Since you mention that the search is already being processed by Central Baggage Tracing, rest assured that the colleagues there are doing their utmost trying to locate your belongings. An extended contents search is initiated as soon as the contents list has been transferred (This is what intensive search means.) For updates, please call the number on your Lost Report or trace your luggage online via: In regards to your question if the content of your bag was the cause for a security screening: Security checks are carried out by customs, not by the airline involved. Thus, we do not have any information on this matter.
However, I´m keeping my fingers crossed that you´ll soon be reunited with your bags.
Regards, Maria
Jan 21, 2015, 5:29 am
#962
Company Representative - Lufthansa Airlines
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,261
Jan 21, 2015, 12:52 pm
#964
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, AA Plat Pro, DL Gold, UA*S, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 631
Jan 22, 2015, 4:18 am
#965
Company Representative - Lufthansa Airlines
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,261
Jan 27, 2015, 6:55 am
#966
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ZRH
Programs: LX SEN
Posts: 28
Jan 27, 2015, 8:16 am
#967
Company Representative - Lufthansa Airlines
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmff View Post
Can we please have a list of the "selected less expensive booking classes"? Thanks.
Dear mmff,
I will ask my colleagues if such a list is available already and get back to you.
Maria
__________________
Lufthansa Flyertalk Team
Dear mmff, dear optibeam,
apologies for the delayed answer. According to my colleagues, no such list exists. When granting operational upgrades in Business or Economy Class, discounted rates are considered subordinated over the more expensive rates.
The passenger’s status is also relevant.
Best regards, Isabell
Originally Posted by mmff View Post
Can we please have a list of the "selected less expensive booking classes"? Thanks.
Dear mmff,
I will ask my colleagues if such a list is available already and get back to you.
Maria
__________________
Lufthansa Flyertalk Team
Dear mmff, dear optibeam,
apologies for the delayed answer. According to my colleagues, no such list exists. When granting operational upgrades in Business or Economy Class, discounted rates are considered subordinated over the more expensive rates.
The passenger’s status is also relevant.
Best regards, Isabell
Jan 27, 2015, 9:13 am
#968
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,188
Dear mmff, dear optibeam,
apologies for the delayed answer. According to my colleagues, no such list exists. When granting operational upgrades in Business or Economy Class, discounted rates are considered subordinated over the more expensive rates.
The passenger’s status is also relevant.
Best regards, Isabell
apologies for the delayed answer. According to my colleagues, no such list exists. When granting operational upgrades in Business or Economy Class, discounted rates are considered subordinated over the more expensive rates.
The passenger’s status is also relevant.
Best regards, Isabell
Jan 27, 2015, 10:58 am
#969
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ZRH
Programs: LX SEN
Posts: 28
Feb 4, 2015, 7:01 am
#970
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 4
Reserving an extra legroom seat after reserving a regular seat
Dear LH team,
I'm booked on LH 714 MUC-HND on May 11 in Y.
After the booking process, I reserved two standard seats for 25 € each.
Now I want to buy up to two extra legroom seats. As I couldn't
change the seats myself, I contacted LH support via the Live Chat
function. They told me that this would be possible and that I'd only
have to pay the difference between the price already paid and the
new price but that I'd need to contact the LH hotline to do this.
So I called the hotline and they told me that I'd have to pay
the full 90 € per seat and that the 25 € I already paid would
not be deducted from this fee. I confronted them with what I was
told at the Live-Chat and they said the information I was given there
was incorrect.
After that, I consulted the seat reservation terms which don't
deal with my specific case: They only say something about
refunds, by which I understand cases in which I get refunded
the sum paid itself after not having used the seat; and when it comes to refund exclusions,
they specifically only deal with the case that you choose a cheaper or free seat. This
seems especially weird as other airlines (e.g. UA) do only charge the difference in such cases.
Therefore, I contacted LH by Mail asking them how my case is supposed to be handled. This was one week ago and I still haven't gotten any reply except
an E-Mail with the FB-ID.
It's really very disappointing to have to wait for more than a week to get some sort of answer, especially as my case doesn't seem overly special to me.
Could you please help me with this issue?
Thank You.
I'm booked on LH 714 MUC-HND on May 11 in Y.
After the booking process, I reserved two standard seats for 25 € each.
Now I want to buy up to two extra legroom seats. As I couldn't
change the seats myself, I contacted LH support via the Live Chat
function. They told me that this would be possible and that I'd only
have to pay the difference between the price already paid and the
new price but that I'd need to contact the LH hotline to do this.
So I called the hotline and they told me that I'd have to pay
the full 90 € per seat and that the 25 € I already paid would
not be deducted from this fee. I confronted them with what I was
told at the Live-Chat and they said the information I was given there
was incorrect.
After that, I consulted the seat reservation terms which don't
deal with my specific case: They only say something about
refunds, by which I understand cases in which I get refunded
the sum paid itself after not having used the seat; and when it comes to refund exclusions,
they specifically only deal with the case that you choose a cheaper or free seat. This
seems especially weird as other airlines (e.g. UA) do only charge the difference in such cases.
Therefore, I contacted LH by Mail asking them how my case is supposed to be handled. This was one week ago and I still haven't gotten any reply except
an E-Mail with the FB-ID.
It's really very disappointing to have to wait for more than a week to get some sort of answer, especially as my case doesn't seem overly special to me.
Could you please help me with this issue?
Thank You.
Last edited by Loconda; Feb 4, 2015 at 7:05 am Reason: Clarification terms & c
Feb 5, 2015, 5:04 am
#971
Company Representative - Lufthansa Airlines
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,261
Dear LH team,
I'm booked on LH 714 MUC-HND on May 11 in Y.
After the booking process, I reserved two standard seats for 25 € each.
Now I want to buy up to two extra legroom seats. As I couldn't
change the seats myself, I contacted LH support via the Live Chat
function. They told me that this would be possible and that I'd only
have to pay the difference between the price already paid and the
new price but that I'd need to contact the LH hotline to do this.
So I called the hotline and they told me that I'd have to pay
the full 90 € per seat and that the 25 € I already paid would
not be deducted from this fee. I confronted them with what I was
told at the Live-Chat and they said the information I was given there
was incorrect.
After that, I consulted the seat reservation terms which don't
deal with my specific case: They only say something about
refunds, by which I understand cases in which I get refunded
the sum paid itself after not having used the seat; and when it comes to refund exclusions,
they specifically only deal with the case that you choose a cheaper or free seat. This
seems especially weird as other airlines (e.g. UA) do only charge the difference in such cases.
Therefore, I contacted LH by Mail asking them how my case is supposed to be handled. This was one week ago and I still haven't gotten any reply except
an E-Mail with the FB-ID.
It's really very disappointing to have to wait for more than a week to get some sort of answer, especially as my case doesn't seem overly special to me.
Could you please help me with this issue?
Thank You.
I'm booked on LH 714 MUC-HND on May 11 in Y.
After the booking process, I reserved two standard seats for 25 € each.
Now I want to buy up to two extra legroom seats. As I couldn't
change the seats myself, I contacted LH support via the Live Chat
function. They told me that this would be possible and that I'd only
have to pay the difference between the price already paid and the
new price but that I'd need to contact the LH hotline to do this.
So I called the hotline and they told me that I'd have to pay
the full 90 € per seat and that the 25 € I already paid would
not be deducted from this fee. I confronted them with what I was
told at the Live-Chat and they said the information I was given there
was incorrect.
After that, I consulted the seat reservation terms which don't
deal with my specific case: They only say something about
refunds, by which I understand cases in which I get refunded
the sum paid itself after not having used the seat; and when it comes to refund exclusions,
they specifically only deal with the case that you choose a cheaper or free seat. This
seems especially weird as other airlines (e.g. UA) do only charge the difference in such cases.
Therefore, I contacted LH by Mail asking them how my case is supposed to be handled. This was one week ago and I still haven't gotten any reply except
an E-Mail with the FB-ID.
It's really very disappointing to have to wait for more than a week to get some sort of answer, especially as my case doesn't seem overly special to me.
Could you please help me with this issue?
Thank You.
I have consulted my colleagues at the Service Center to verify your information. The scenario described indeed does not allow for a refund of the 25€ charge. Also, a payment of the fee difference is not possible. The leg room seat will be charged with the full 90€. I understand caused irritation, but, as this is the standard procedure, there is nothing else we can do to help.
Best regards, Katharina
Feb 21, 2015, 9:36 am
#972
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: TXL-FRA-MUC-LHR.
Programs: LH-SEN, BA-G, HH-Diamond, PC-Diamond, Marriot-G
Posts: 110
New Policy? Why?
Dear LH Team -
On a few recent domestic flights on LH I was reseated to a seat further back in the plane, even though Business Class was empty.
Yesterday was a particular striking example:
* I was booked and checked in on 11C, so a "preferred" exit row seat.
* When boarding, I got pushed to 15 C, first row bhind the class devider.
* Other that a handful of seats, Business class remained empty - certainly all row starting with 11 were completely unoccupied.
So, LH seems to squeeze pax as tightly as they can in Economy. Maybe that is to motivate pax to buy Business tickets – which travel policies in most sensible firms including mine will prevent for domestic tickets.
OK, SEN seat blocking worked but the implication is that LH will push even 6‘6 tall SENs (yes that’s me) to a cramped seat when that’s not necessary.
What exactly is the reasoning behind this - optimizing Y stats, by leaving fewer seats empty? Bit short sighted: wouldn't it be better to give pax space when you can?
On a few recent domestic flights on LH I was reseated to a seat further back in the plane, even though Business Class was empty.
Yesterday was a particular striking example:
* I was booked and checked in on 11C, so a "preferred" exit row seat.
* When boarding, I got pushed to 15 C, first row bhind the class devider.
* Other that a handful of seats, Business class remained empty - certainly all row starting with 11 were completely unoccupied.
So, LH seems to squeeze pax as tightly as they can in Economy. Maybe that is to motivate pax to buy Business tickets – which travel policies in most sensible firms including mine will prevent for domestic tickets.
OK, SEN seat blocking worked but the implication is that LH will push even 6‘6 tall SENs (yes that’s me) to a cramped seat when that’s not necessary.
What exactly is the reasoning behind this - optimizing Y stats, by leaving fewer seats empty? Bit short sighted: wouldn't it be better to give pax space when you can?
Last edited by fra_muc; Feb 21, 2015 at 10:48 am
Feb 22, 2015, 2:14 pm
#973
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2
Using LH miles on UA...
Hi, everyone! Im hoping someone can answer my question here since M&M is closed today. Im booked for next month ORD-OGG-ORD in coach. Now I see a seat open up on the return but not on the outbound. Can I upgrade my coach seat coming back with additional miles? Or they would still charge me the R/T price which is 70K? Or will they allow me to upgrade that 1 leg for 15k more miles? I only have 15k+ miles left. I booked my ticket as R/T. Tnx in advance!
Feb 23, 2015, 1:55 am
#974
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
M&M can issue tickets on partner airlines as one way and price the legs individually. Sadly they can't change existing tickets, so you would have to refund the entire ticket and start afresh, thus risking to loose your seats in the meantime. Try calling them if they can adjust an existing booking, but don't get your hopes up.
Feb 23, 2015, 6:34 am
#975
Company Representative - Lufthansa Airlines
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,261
Dear LH Team -
On a few recent domestic flights on LH I was reseated to a seat further back in the plane, even though Business Class was empty.
Yesterday was a particular striking example:
* I was booked and checked in on 11C, so a "preferred" exit row seat.
* When boarding, I got pushed to 15 C, first row bhind the class devider.
* Other that a handful of seats, Business class remained empty - certainly all row starting with 11 were completely unoccupied.
So, LH seems to squeeze pax as tightly as they can in Economy. Maybe that is to motivate pax to buy Business tickets – which travel policies in most sensible firms including mine will prevent for domestic tickets.
OK, SEN seat blocking worked but the implication is that LH will push even 6‘6 tall SENs (yes that’s me) to a cramped seat when that’s not necessary.
What exactly is the reasoning behind this - optimizing Y stats, by leaving fewer seats empty? Bit short sighted: wouldn't it be better to give pax space when you can?
On a few recent domestic flights on LH I was reseated to a seat further back in the plane, even though Business Class was empty.
Yesterday was a particular striking example:
* I was booked and checked in on 11C, so a "preferred" exit row seat.
* When boarding, I got pushed to 15 C, first row bhind the class devider.
* Other that a handful of seats, Business class remained empty - certainly all row starting with 11 were completely unoccupied.
So, LH seems to squeeze pax as tightly as they can in Economy. Maybe that is to motivate pax to buy Business tickets – which travel policies in most sensible firms including mine will prevent for domestic tickets.
OK, SEN seat blocking worked but the implication is that LH will push even 6‘6 tall SENs (yes that’s me) to a cramped seat when that’s not necessary.
What exactly is the reasoning behind this - optimizing Y stats, by leaving fewer seats empty? Bit short sighted: wouldn't it be better to give pax space when you can?
by providing booking details of the flights on which you were reseated before departure (via PM), I would be able to forward them to my colleagues for further investigation. Regards, Maria