Booked in F, but LH to discontinue F. For trip of a lifetime.
Jul 30, 2018, 11:20 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: copenhagen, denmark
Posts: 196
Booked in F, but LH to discontinue F. For trip of a lifetime.
I am devasted as I have just learned that LH will discontinue First Class to Rio de Janeiro.
They recently had a 2-4-1 deal and I booked two first class tickets and invited my mother for what will likely be the last long haul flight of her life - I wanted to make it a very special one.
I have missed two calls from LH over the recent week and did some google search on the phone number and then confirmed on lh.com that I cannot book First Class to Rio de Janeiro around the dates where we would be travelling.
What options and alternatives are LH likely to offer us?
They recently had a 2-4-1 deal and I booked two first class tickets and invited my mother for what will likely be the last long haul flight of her life - I wanted to make it a very special one.
I have missed two calls from LH over the recent week and did some google search on the phone number and then confirmed on lh.com that I cannot book First Class to Rio de Janeiro around the dates where we would be travelling.
What options and alternatives are LH likely to offer us?
Jul 30, 2018, 11:40 am
#3
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Jul 31, 2018, 7:46 am
#5
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Location: copenhagen, denmark
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Spoke with LH First earlier today.
Options offered:
* Full refund
* First to Sao Paulo and then economy of local carrier to Rio
* First to Sao Paulo and terminating there
* Business to Rio on original flight and with some yet unspecified cash compensation
Due to the long advance notice they claim that it is not considered a downgrade eligible for EU261 compensation, i.e. 75% refund and travel in Business, which would clearly have been my preferred solution.
Options offered:
* Full refund
* First to Sao Paulo and then economy of local carrier to Rio
* First to Sao Paulo and terminating there
* Business to Rio on original flight and with some yet unspecified cash compensation
Due to the long advance notice they claim that it is not considered a downgrade eligible for EU261 compensation, i.e. 75% refund and travel in Business, which would clearly have been my preferred solution.
Jul 31, 2018, 8:24 am
#6
Moderator: SAS
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Upgrading and downgrading
1. If an operating air carrier places a passenger in a class higher than that for which the ticket was purchased, it may not request any supplementary payment.
2. If an operating air carrier places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, it shall within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), reimburse
(a) 30 % of the price of the ticket for all flights of 1500 kilometres or less, or
(b) 50 % of the price of the ticket for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres, except flights between the European territory of the Member States and the French overseas departments, and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometres, or
(c) 75 % of the price of the ticket for all flights not falling under (a) or (b), including flights between the European territory of the Member States and the French overseas departments.
1. If an operating air carrier places a passenger in a class higher than that for which the ticket was purchased, it may not request any supplementary payment.
2. If an operating air carrier places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, it shall within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), reimburse
(a) 30 % of the price of the ticket for all flights of 1500 kilometres or less, or
(b) 50 % of the price of the ticket for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres, except flights between the European territory of the Member States and the French overseas departments, and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometres, or
(c) 75 % of the price of the ticket for all flights not falling under (a) or (b), including flights between the European territory of the Member States and the French overseas departments.
As you can see no reference for exceptions is made in the Article.
Only for flight cancellations made at least two weeks before the flight are exempt from compensation.
I'm not sure if your situation equals to a flight cancellation this far in advance, but it could be.
If I were you I'd fly F to Sao Paulo (maybe fly LH on the inbound and LX on the outbound?) and then onwards to Rio with one of the brazillian carriers.
Jul 31, 2018, 9:15 am
#7
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: copenhagen, denmark
Posts: 196
This is the complete Article 10 dealing with downgrades.
As you can see no reference for exceptions is made in the Article.
Only for flight cancellations made at least two weeks before the flight are exempt from compensation.
I'm not sure if your situation equals to a flight cancellation this far in advance, but it could be.
If I were you I'd fly F to Sao Paulo (maybe fly LH on the inbound and LX on the outbound?) and then onwards to Rio with one of the brazillian carriers.
As you can see no reference for exceptions is made in the Article.
Only for flight cancellations made at least two weeks before the flight are exempt from compensation.
I'm not sure if your situation equals to a flight cancellation this far in advance, but it could be.
If I were you I'd fly F to Sao Paulo (maybe fly LH on the inbound and LX on the outbound?) and then onwards to Rio with one of the brazillian carriers.
I spoke with my mother and she already decided that she wants her trip in First Class, so we will swing by Sao Paulo on the way to Rio. As much as I dread having to do domestic economy and bagage transfer in Sao Paulo, I will let her decide as it is "her" trip.
Jul 31, 2018, 9:20 am
#8
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LH's argument was that downgrade rules did not apply this far in advance but only at the airport. I think realistically, given the length of advance notice, they could just cancel my ticket at no cost to them, so offering a business class flight + 75% refund would be hoping for too much.
I spoke with my mother and she already decided that she wants her trip in First Class, so we will swing by Sao Paulo on the way to Rio. As much as I dread having to do domestic economy and bagage transfer in Sao Paulo, I will let her decide as it is "her" trip.
I spoke with my mother and she already decided that she wants her trip in First Class, so we will swing by Sao Paulo on the way to Rio. As much as I dread having to do domestic economy and bagage transfer in Sao Paulo, I will let her decide as it is "her" trip.
What local carrier is LH using for your trip? Are you sure it doesn't have some sort of FC or business class cabin?
You should check fares for this routing too, as it might be cheaper to cancel your tickets for a full refund and buy new tickets with the connection. Alternatively, if LH markets a through fare in FC/business class with premium cabin travel on the domestic connecting flight, you have a strong argument for asking LH to put you into the premium cabin on the local carrier.
You should check fares for this routing too, as it might be cheaper to cancel your tickets for a full refund and buy new tickets with the connection. Alternatively, if LH markets a through fare in FC/business class with premium cabin travel on the domestic connecting flight, you have a strong argument for asking LH to put you into the premium cabin on the local carrier.
Jul 31, 2018, 9:28 am
#9
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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No premium cabin from GRU to GIG/SDU on LATAM/GOL/AV BR/Azul.
TAAG Angloa flies GRU-GIG 3x weekly (Tu/Th/Sa at 5am), maybe you should pick a date so you can enjoy that flight?
TAAG Angloa flies GRU-GIG 3x weekly (Tu/Th/Sa at 5am), maybe you should pick a date so you can enjoy that flight?
Jul 31, 2018, 9:31 am
#10
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: copenhagen, denmark
Posts: 196
What local carrier is LH using for your trip? Are you sure it doesn't have some sort of FC or business class cabin?
You should check fares for this routing too, as it might be cheaper to cancel your tickets for a full refund and buy new tickets with the connection. Alternatively, if LH markets a through fare in FC/business class with premium cabin travel on the domestic connecting flight, you have a strong argument for asking LH to put you into the premium cabin on the local carrier.
You should check fares for this routing too, as it might be cheaper to cancel your tickets for a full refund and buy new tickets with the connection. Alternatively, if LH markets a through fare in FC/business class with premium cabin travel on the domestic connecting flight, you have a strong argument for asking LH to put you into the premium cabin on the local carrier.
I go regularly to Brazil and for this reason I have almost stopped flying within Brazil.
My tickets were very cheap as I bought during a "travel two pay for one" promotion period. So just under 5000 EUR for 2 in First Class. I cannot by 2 business class tickets for that.
Jul 31, 2018, 9:33 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LEJ BRU
Posts: 1,156
What local carrier is LH using for your trip? Are you sure it doesn't have some sort of FC or business class cabin?
You should check fares for this routing too, as it might be cheaper to cancel your tickets for a full refund and buy new tickets with the connection. Alternatively, if LH markets a through fare in FC/business class with premium cabin travel on the domestic connecting flight, you have a strong argument for asking LH to put you into the premium cabin on the local carrier.
You should check fares for this routing too, as it might be cheaper to cancel your tickets for a full refund and buy new tickets with the connection. Alternatively, if LH markets a through fare in FC/business class with premium cabin travel on the domestic connecting flight, you have a strong argument for asking LH to put you into the premium cabin on the local carrier.
Jul 31, 2018, 9:53 am
#12
Moderator: SAS
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But this flight does indeed have a F Class.
But since LH arrives at 04:55 frankly I think 5 minutes connnecting time seems a little bit tight.
Jul 31, 2018, 9:59 am
#13
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Posts: 196
Credits due for a very original idea. However LH lands at 4.55am, so cutting it a bit too close for comfort.
Aug 1, 2018, 1:17 am
#14
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So just under 5000 EUR for 2 in First Class.
EUR 1250 for two C-class roundtrips to Rio is not a bad deal.
Connecting in GRU will be stressful.
Aug 1, 2018, 1:27 am
#15
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Location: copenhagen, denmark
Posts: 196
Unfortunately LH does not believe that a 75% refund plus business class flight is valid due to the long notice period. But this would needless to say have been a great option.
Reluctantly took the GRU connection as my mother wanted "her" first class experience.