nevillek

Hello,

2 weeks ago, I missed an int/l flight from YYZ as I was unable to get to the airport via another Air Canada flight to YYZ booked on a separate ticket. I kept calling Lufthansa explaining the situation but all reps on the phone would keep refusing to give me another flight as this counted as a no-show and a delay by another airline on a separately booked ticket was NOT their liability.

But somehow, I got lucky to get some rep last week who somehow said she could give me another rescheduled flight and I would have to pay the price and tax difference. I hope this is TRUE and I didn't misunderstand her.

So I chose a flight on Jan 18 (as that was the earliest one available within the same economy class). She told me that the base fare difference was around 30 USD only (wow) but she would have to forward the request to the RATES DEPARTMENT to calculate TAX DIFFERENCES.

It's been 2 weeks and the RATES DEPT hasn't called/emailed me back. I call Lufthansa up everyday and they keep saying that the RATES DEPT works on a day to day basis and therefore, I would need to wait as my ticket is for Jan and they'll call or email me soon.

Does anyone know if this will work out for me and I should wait instead of just giving up on them and booking another earlier ticket on another airline? Is it possible the RATES DEPT will make me wait a month and tell me in the end, SORRY SIR THERE WAS A CONFUSION, IT WAS A NO-SHOW SO WE CAN'T GIVE YOU A RE-SCHEDULED FLIGHT? Or is this more or less guaranteed? Would the tax differences be HUGE?

If they're going to be unhelpful after making me wait so long, I'd rather not waste time and book another ticket.

LondonElite

What does it say in your online booking? Have you already paid (I presume not)?

It is unusual (but not unheard of) for an airline to rebook you for a flight you have missed if you're on a non-refundable fare. If you've had no further contact from LH and your reservation is not changed, I suspect there may have been a miscommunication.

nevillek

The original ticket, I had already paid for, way back in August. It's the return flight portion of the ticket that I missed.

Is it possible that they're just booking a new flight for me and I'm thinking that I would only have to pay the "difference" of fares?

Btw, my eticket said the fare is "refundable" but I think you need to cancel it in advance of the departure date, not afterwards.

Often1

Sounds as though there was a miscommunication. The rate desk at LH is likely trying to figure out why the fare is only $30 as there is likely no value left on the no showed ticket.

Best bet is to call on a non-holiday weekday and ask for a supervisor if you cannot get an answer.

nevillek

I call them up everyday and the answer I get is "because your ticket is booked way ahead in advance and the rates dept works on a day to day basis, you need to wait". Basically, if I know from now that the Jan 18 ticket is going to be super expensive and not just based on a "rate difference in fares", I'd rather let go off this ticket and book a new one for next week or something online. This way, I'm stuck on what to do and how long to wait.

Today, I called them up again and just for curiosity, rebooked the ticket for day after tomorrow, and they told me, the rates department will get back to me by today. You see. However, this booking is for a different class (B class) due to lack of availability instead of the same economy class (L class) like the one on Jan 18 and they had to cancel the Jan 18 booking request to let this one go through to the rates dept, but atleast, I'll get an idea of whether they're giving me the price difference or an entirely new huge fare.

Not to forget, the operators are extremely rude and unwilling to help.

LondonElite

This is a bit odd. I'm not sure what to say because you seem to have done all the obvious things I would have.

My question about paying was related to the $30 fare difference, which I guess you have not yet paid because the fare difference isn't confirmed.

nevillek

Yeah, I haven't paid anything. The operator only checked the system for available same class flights in the future and the earliest she saw was Jan 18 and told me the base fare is almost the same, just a difference of $30 but to calculate tax difference, she would need to forward the request to the rates department.

However, now everytime I call them and ask if the price difference is $30, they say "we can't see that in the system, only rates dept can tell you." Weirdos.

I'm just worried if the rates dept or whoever will stick by the fact that one of their reps DID offer me a rescheduled flight and don't back off and tell me to book a new one.

LondonElite

My inclination was to say that the first person you spoke to had no clue, because your booking would have vanished two weeks after your no-show. However, the fact that a second agent was able to rebook you for tomorrow is strange. I don't think that a LH L fare will have the sort of flexibility that you seem to be getting now. My sense is that you are probably out of luck, but I'm willing to be proven wrong on that one. Good luck!

jcunha

Hello
I am having the same problem with Lufthansa, I booked a flight last year from MAD to EWR (Business) and EWR to LHR (economy) in July 2016 due to United not having reward tickets available so I can come back to the USA from MAD.
Upgraded to premiunm economy back in DEC 2015, however due to personal matters I needed to go straight to MAD this year. wanted to remove the FRA LHR segment and buy a one way ticket from FRA to MAD and I was astonished that LH wanted to charge me $2000.00 per passengers (3 pass.) to remove the segment.
I finally decided to downgrade from Premium to basic economy with United nonstop from EWR to MAD.
I have been waiting 7 days for a recalculation of my ticket and as of today still no answer from LH.
I am thinking of getting legal advice on this because this is ridiculus and not acceptable behaviour from a major airline.
They dont care about the customer and once this is resolved it it ever is?
Lufthansa will not get another penny off me.
sorry folks for sounding off like this but I am fed up with LH
any suggestions are welcomed

LondonElite

I'm having trouble understanding what you actually flew and want to do (maybe you could list the flights you took, on what airline, and who ticketed these flights), but it sounds like you are changing the routing, which would recalculate the fare. Whether that is $2,000 or not depends on the fare basis, timing, and a bunch of other things which you don't include enough information about.