Lufthansa Complaints
Mar 6, 2014, 1:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 4
Lufthansa Complaints
Hi All,
I am trying to contact Lufthansa to file a complaint regarding a flight I reserved here in USA for my mom and sister. I tried to use the online customer feedback form but never heard back. I also mailed a complaint to their North America office in NY. I am wondering if there is another way or email I can write to so that they will pay attention to the complaint before I have to resort to other legal methods.
Thanks,
Amr
I am trying to contact Lufthansa to file a complaint regarding a flight I reserved here in USA for my mom and sister. I tried to use the online customer feedback form but never heard back. I also mailed a complaint to their North America office in NY. I am wondering if there is another way or email I can write to so that they will pay attention to the complaint before I have to resort to other legal methods.
Thanks,
Amr
Mar 6, 2014, 2:11 pm
#2
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Post your question here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufth...nairlines.html
Mar 6, 2014, 4:04 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Basically, complaining is not German, unless you are very well-spoken, and well-placed. Note that all formal correspondence is signed by the writer, and the writer's superior.
Any attempts at irony (surprisingly, a very Berlinese trait), or sarcasm, or knowing a tad better, or open honesty, no way, they don't hack it, unless done by a native German.
To complain, in the English-English or American-English sense of the word, to Lufthansa has a rare chance of success. And it will be held against you for a long long time. Remember, just as China has a long-long-term goal with regard to its place in the world, so, it is said, it is said, allegedy, apparently, with Germany in at least EurAsia, and with LH in the airline industry.
You are but grist to their mill.
But I could be wrong. Or get a massive corporate account. And welcome to Germany.
Any attempts at irony (surprisingly, a very Berlinese trait), or sarcasm, or knowing a tad better, or open honesty, no way, they don't hack it, unless done by a native German.
To complain, in the English-English or American-English sense of the word, to Lufthansa has a rare chance of success. And it will be held against you for a long long time. Remember, just as China has a long-long-term goal with regard to its place in the world, so, it is said, it is said, allegedy, apparently, with Germany in at least EurAsia, and with LH in the airline industry.
You are but grist to their mill.
But I could be wrong. Or get a massive corporate account. And welcome to Germany.
Mar 6, 2014, 4:14 pm
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
Hopefully OP won't resort to "illegal" methods.
If it's a visa issue, make sure that the complaint comes from the person who had the issue, that it is short & to the point and does not include rhetoric or threats.
If you want to post the facts here, you may get some useful advice on how best to approach LH.
If it's a visa issue, make sure that the complaint comes from the person who had the issue, that it is short & to the point and does not include rhetoric or threats.
If you want to post the facts here, you may get some useful advice on how best to approach LH.
Mar 6, 2014, 4:34 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 4
Thanks for all the advice.
To make this as short as possible, my sister was denied boarding the connecting flight from FRA to Jeddah because the security people weren't able to find her visa on their system. After few hours, the Lufthansa service center figured out the issue, yet they made her pay for the rebooking and didn't offer her any help regarding the new layover time which was well over 24 hours, aside from their rude and unprofessional attitude. The visa itself was valid and I can't see how this can be her fault.
I have posted the complete complain as written by my sister on the thread oliver2002 pointed to.
My mom and my sister are overseas now, that's why I am trying to complain on their behalf.
Any advice on how best to approach LH is appreicated,
Thanks,
Amr
To make this as short as possible, my sister was denied boarding the connecting flight from FRA to Jeddah because the security people weren't able to find her visa on their system. After few hours, the Lufthansa service center figured out the issue, yet they made her pay for the rebooking and didn't offer her any help regarding the new layover time which was well over 24 hours, aside from their rude and unprofessional attitude. The visa itself was valid and I can't see how this can be her fault.
I have posted the complete complain as written by my sister on the thread oliver2002 pointed to.
My mom and my sister are overseas now, that's why I am trying to complain on their behalf.
Any advice on how best to approach LH is appreicated,
Thanks,
Amr
Mar 6, 2014, 5:37 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Land NL-1421; Air 1A/8C
Programs: Discretely with AA-G AFFB-C2 UA-EP LHLX-S HH-D
Posts: 289
Thanks for all the advice.
To make this as short as possible, my sister was denied boarding the connecting flight from FRA to Jeddah because the security people weren't able to find her visa on their system. After few hours, the Lufthansa service center figured out the issue, yet they made her pay for the rebooking and didn't offer her any help regarding the new layover time which was well over 24 hours, aside from their rude and unprofessional attitude. The visa itself was valid and I can't see how this can be her fault.
I have posted the complete complain as written by my sister on the thread oliver2002 pointed to.
My mom and my sister are overseas now, that's why I am trying to complain on their behalf.
Any advice on how best to approach LH is appreicated,
Thanks,
Amr
To make this as short as possible, my sister was denied boarding the connecting flight from FRA to Jeddah because the security people weren't able to find her visa on their system. After few hours, the Lufthansa service center figured out the issue, yet they made her pay for the rebooking and didn't offer her any help regarding the new layover time which was well over 24 hours, aside from their rude and unprofessional attitude. The visa itself was valid and I can't see how this can be her fault.
I have posted the complete complain as written by my sister on the thread oliver2002 pointed to.
My mom and my sister are overseas now, that's why I am trying to complain on their behalf.
Any advice on how best to approach LH is appreicated,
Thanks,
Amr
Basically, cringe. In your case, from what you recount, the visa in question was correct and their behaviour was not in line with that. Perhaps you could ask them to explain that ...
And keep away any other argumentation, stay to the basics, and keep it short. Your English is better than their appalling template English, and your logic, whilst correct, is not theirs. They do not like this being visible.
Mar 6, 2014, 6:19 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 4
Well, recently, when they (this was Miles&More HQ, but they all go to the same education system) made a very evident error, I asked them to explain it to me in detail, so that I could better understand why they were behaving in contradiction of their own stated policy. I added that if, on second thoughts, they might see, as I thought I had, that there was an error, if they could perhaps correct it.
Basically, cringe. In your case, from what you recount, the visa in question was correct and their behaviour was not in line with that. Perhaps you could ask them to explain that ...
And keep away any other argumentation, stay to the basics, and keep it short. Your English is better than their appalling template English, and your logic, whilst correct, is not theirs. They do not like this being visible.
Basically, cringe. In your case, from what you recount, the visa in question was correct and their behaviour was not in line with that. Perhaps you could ask them to explain that ...
And keep away any other argumentation, stay to the basics, and keep it short. Your English is better than their appalling template English, and your logic, whilst correct, is not theirs. They do not like this being visible.
Mar 6, 2014, 7:58 pm
#12
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
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Posts: 4,783
To make this as short as possible, my sister was denied boarding the connecting flight from FRA to Jeddah
Mar 6, 2014, 11:25 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Posts: 17,008
From what you say, your family were very badly treated.
Lufthansa responds better to a direct approach: it helps them focus.
It seems they made a mistake (tell them) for which statutory compensation should be given (tell them you want it).
Use the regular customer service channel, but it can't hurt to copy in the LBA (details under http://www.lba.de/EN/CustomerService...vice_node.html). Knowing that the regulator (AKA National Enforcement Body) is involved should encourage Lufthansa's customer service team to focus on your complaint.
It's likely you will suffocate in the platitudes they offer in an initial reply. They used to employ leprechauns in Ireland to generate these but may now have an automated system that does it even better.
Be firm: repeat your request and give them seven days to respond before you initiate proceedings.
Lufthansa responds better to a direct approach: it helps them focus.
It seems they made a mistake (tell them) for which statutory compensation should be given (tell them you want it).
Use the regular customer service channel, but it can't hurt to copy in the LBA (details under http://www.lba.de/EN/CustomerService...vice_node.html). Knowing that the regulator (AKA National Enforcement Body) is involved should encourage Lufthansa's customer service team to focus on your complaint.
It's likely you will suffocate in the platitudes they offer in an initial reply. They used to employ leprechauns in Ireland to generate these but may now have an automated system that does it even better.
Be firm: repeat your request and give them seven days to respond before you initiate proceedings.
Mar 7, 2014, 12:57 am
#14
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
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Posts: 29,517
It also helps to focus on facts when communicating with LH. Concentrate on their failure to locate your sister's visa in time and the fact they had to pay change fees but leave out comments on the unfriendly, unprofessional and rude attitude of personnel your mom and sister encountered or the faulty 24-hour internet card. Also airlines cannot issue or help to obtain a visa for stranded passengers to enter Schengen/Germany to spend a night in a hotel in case of missed connections. Good luck.
Mar 7, 2014, 1:44 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,756
I believe this is a common issue with the new Saudi e-visa. I remember receiving a reminder from company travel agent at the end of last year to always carry a print-out of the evisa, even though I can't think of any colleagues that have ever needed a business trip to Saudi Arabia.
That said, based on what you say your mum & sister clearly presented themselves for the flight with a Visa, so the fault is Lufthansa's.
One feedback point, from reading you full complaint in the other thread I get the impression your Mum and Sister went round Frankfurt Airport on a "witch hunt" for the names of the gate agents, noting everyone else's names on the way. This changes my emotional response from sympathy for your mum and sister ("oh no, what a terrible experience"), more towards sympathy for the LH employees.
That said, based on what you say your mum & sister clearly presented themselves for the flight with a Visa, so the fault is Lufthansa's.
One feedback point, from reading you full complaint in the other thread I get the impression your Mum and Sister went round Frankfurt Airport on a "witch hunt" for the names of the gate agents, noting everyone else's names on the way. This changes my emotional response from sympathy for your mum and sister ("oh no, what a terrible experience"), more towards sympathy for the LH employees.