Really bad LH ground service at ORD
Apr 22, 2014, 8:49 am
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Really bad LH ground service at ORD
I'm trying to decide whether I should just shake this off, or write LH.
After a recent MUC-ORD flight we landed significantly early (just under an hour early). So far so good.
Clearly ORD wasn't ready for us - this happens so this is just an aside.
After landing we take an excrutiatingly slow tour of the entire airport - we landed right by the INTL terminal and then toured all the way around the terminals at about 1 MPH, twice. Clearly biding time - again this happens.
After 40 minutes we finally approach a gate and the pilot announces this wasn't our original gate and points out that we're still arriving early. LOL. Then we wait another 15 minutes 5 feet from the gate because the ground crew wasn't ready.
Finally get to baggage claim where we wait 45 minutes more without a single bag appearing. At this point someone comes by to announce there will be a "slight" delay. I lose it and say "Slight?, we've already been waiting 45 minutes." Finally about 10 minutes later bags start to appear, but all jumbed together - the "priority" bags weren't first.
As a business customer, with bags properly tagged "priority" and with no line at immigration, it took us almost 2 hours after landing to exit the airport.
Final blow? There were four of us in our party, all flying FLR-MUC-ORD with a 1:10 connection at MUC. Two of our party got their bags and the bags of the other 2 were left behind in MUC with no good explanation - FLR-MUC was early, so the connection was actually more like 1:30, more than enough time for bags to connect at MUC.
After a recent MUC-ORD flight we landed significantly early (just under an hour early). So far so good.
Clearly ORD wasn't ready for us - this happens so this is just an aside.
After landing we take an excrutiatingly slow tour of the entire airport - we landed right by the INTL terminal and then toured all the way around the terminals at about 1 MPH, twice. Clearly biding time - again this happens.
After 40 minutes we finally approach a gate and the pilot announces this wasn't our original gate and points out that we're still arriving early. LOL. Then we wait another 15 minutes 5 feet from the gate because the ground crew wasn't ready.
Finally get to baggage claim where we wait 45 minutes more without a single bag appearing. At this point someone comes by to announce there will be a "slight" delay. I lose it and say "Slight?, we've already been waiting 45 minutes." Finally about 10 minutes later bags start to appear, but all jumbed together - the "priority" bags weren't first.
As a business customer, with bags properly tagged "priority" and with no line at immigration, it took us almost 2 hours after landing to exit the airport.
Final blow? There were four of us in our party, all flying FLR-MUC-ORD with a 1:10 connection at MUC. Two of our party got their bags and the bags of the other 2 were left behind in MUC with no good explanation - FLR-MUC was early, so the connection was actually more like 1:30, more than enough time for bags to connect at MUC.
Apr 22, 2014, 8:59 am
#3
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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??? Whether LH is providing the service with their own staff, or contracting out at ORD, they still bear responsibility for the customer experience, and if it is taking 2 hours for the first customers to complete the transit of the airport that should signal a performance gap.
Last edited by milepig; Apr 22, 2014 at 9:55 am
Apr 22, 2014, 9:02 am
#4
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
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LH434 landed a bit early quite a few times the last few days: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/DLH434
ORD is a cluster when you arrive early. I recall arriving early on AM once and we got a gate, but were not allowed to deplane because CBP was not ready for us.
ORD is a cluster when you arrive early. I recall arriving early on AM once and we got a gate, but were not allowed to deplane because CBP was not ready for us.
Apr 22, 2014, 10:53 am
#5
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Agree. It doesn't matter what airline you fly on (well I suppose AirForce One gets a different treatment level as it seems often to be parked at ORD)- if you are early, late, or on-time- ORD will treat you the way they feel like and you damn well better like it!
Apr 22, 2014, 11:26 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between AMS and BRU
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But assigning parking spaces and luggage belts is not something any airline controls. It's the airport that is responsible for your below par experience.
Apr 22, 2014, 11:47 am
#7
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Apr 22, 2014, 2:51 pm
#8
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HTB.
Apr 22, 2014, 10:31 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between AMS and BRU
Posts: 8,852
That I agree on... but LH's influence at ORD might not be that significant either.
And while I get that someone might get a little upset while it happens, I really don't see much of a complaint in the fact that you're out of the airport within one hour of the scheduled arrival time. Even when arriving early....
And while I get that someone might get a little upset while it happens, I really don't see much of a complaint in the fact that you're out of the airport within one hour of the scheduled arrival time. Even when arriving early....
Apr 22, 2014, 11:16 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,187
OP we can understand your frustration, but this is not LH's fault. The same can be said of any of a number of other N. American airports. It is the airport operating authorities who are to blame. And the CBP answer to no one anyway. ORD is just a prime example of the "Chicago way" that is ruining the USA these days.
Apr 23, 2014, 12:18 am
#11
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Apr 23, 2014, 5:02 am
#12
Join Date: May 2010
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I disagree with what some are saying.
Yes it wasn't directly the fault of LH, but you still have to complain to LH as you have a contract with them, not the airport. And LH decides who services the aircraft and only the only ones who can apply pressure.
So I would write and complain, but state that you understand that they are not fully responsible but that you want to bring it to there attention and this this resulted is a poor perception of the LH experience.
Yes it wasn't directly the fault of LH, but you still have to complain to LH as you have a contract with them, not the airport. And LH decides who services the aircraft and only the only ones who can apply pressure.
So I would write and complain, but state that you understand that they are not fully responsible but that you want to bring it to there attention and this this resulted is a poor perception of the LH experience.
Apr 23, 2014, 10:29 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2013
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