LH Express / AirRail as part of the travel - can I skip, get off earlier, join later?
Apr 23, 2012, 9:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Germany
Programs: LH FTL, BA Bronze
Posts: 831
LH Express / AirRail as part of the travel - can I skip, get off earlier, join later?
A friend and mine disagree on whether or not it is possible to skip the Airrail segment that is the first segment of an outbound flight. He says that on his recent Airrail train ride from Stuttgart to Frankfurt his ticket was checked but no note was made whether he was on board or not. I have a feeling that, to prevent misuse, Lufthansa will collect the names of those passengers sitting in the Airrail coach to see who was on board and who wasn't. But then again, my friend says, what if you're in the loo or sat in the restaurant car when the ticket inspector comes to your original seat which is then empty? Any recent experience, anyone? Thanks, ps
Apr 24, 2012, 5:39 am
#2
Moderator, SkyTeam and Germany
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: FRA/STR/NUE
Programs: BA, LH, KL, EY, IHG, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Radisson
Posts: 5,946
IMO it's very unlikely that LH would cancel your onward trip if your seat on the train is not occupied. You are free to roam onboard and can go to the dining car, to a friend traveling with you with a regular ticket in another coach or to the restroom...
On a recent trip I had a ticket for Stuttgart to Frankfurt but didn't make it to Stuttgart due to a late connecting train but could instead go to Mannheim and enter the train there. No problems with the DB conductor with my online BP. And nobody from LH checking the coach where I sat between Mannheim and Frankfurt. Miles were credited as normal and no problems with my connecting flight.
On a recent trip I had a ticket for Stuttgart to Frankfurt but didn't make it to Stuttgart due to a late connecting train but could instead go to Mannheim and enter the train there. No problems with the DB conductor with my online BP. And nobody from LH checking the coach where I sat between Mannheim and Frankfurt. Miles were credited as normal and no problems with my connecting flight.
Apr 24, 2012, 6:08 am
#3
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,182
Airrail is not checked or subject to sequence auto cancellation, your friend is right. The same applies to the LH Bus to/from SXB, which is an excellent vehicle to use fares issued for France but starting your trip in FRA. (cough cough) 
May 17, 2012, 12:06 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 34
Skipping Airail Segment
Some friends of mine are visiting me in June. They will be flying into and out of STR with the first leg on the return being a train from Stuttgart to FRA.
Since from where I am it is quicker to take other ground transport to FRA than via Stuttgart, how does Lufthansa handle missed Airail segments? Do they count as a no-show and hence the rest of your itinerary is cancelled? Or are they safe to skip?
Since from where I am it is quicker to take other ground transport to FRA than via Stuttgart, how does Lufthansa handle missed Airail segments? Do they count as a no-show and hence the rest of your itinerary is cancelled? Or are they safe to skip?
Nov 16, 2012, 6:07 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
Can anyone confirm that you can skip a LH AirRail train segment (i.e. Stuttgart to FRA) and still catch your outbound flight? I can buy a ticket for 150 euros cheaper if I book the AirRAil/LH ticket as opposed to just buying the LH ticket. However, it would be quicker for me to just drive to FRA.
Nov 16, 2012, 8:14 am
#6
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,182
Welcome to FT!
You have to check in for the Airrail segment (online, in ZWS etc) but don't need to be on the train.
You have to check in for the Airrail segment (online, in ZWS etc) but don't need to be on the train.
Nov 16, 2012, 9:24 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,671
However, as long as you insist that you had been on the train, it's hard for them to prove otherwise.
HTB.
Aug 28, 2013, 2:37 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
I have a FRA-QKL-FRA trip coming up on a D fare, due to change in meetings schedule I might need to skip FRA and fly to CGN direct. Due to cancellation penalties and higher one way fare, it is cheaper to skip the FRA-QKL segment and use the return portion only rather than cancel the ticket altogether and book a new QKL-FRA one way.
I assume from the above posts that if I OLCI the FRA-QKL segment and don't turn up, I should be able to use the return portion QKL-FRA as originally booked.
TIA.
I assume from the above posts that if I OLCI the FRA-QKL segment and don't turn up, I should be able to use the return portion QKL-FRA as originally booked.
TIA.
Aug 28, 2013, 2:42 am
#9
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
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Nov 7, 2013, 12:35 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,958
Is this still the case? Can I do hidden city ticketing to FRA, buy a ticket to QKL and and use FRA-QKL-FRA (these would be on subsequent days). Would there be any issue with online checkin for the return?
Oct 7, 2015, 6:08 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 4
Hi, I bought ticket to Stuggart for coming christmas and wannt to skip AIRail segment too, is there any updates in 2015?
For the outbound trip, if I don‘t check in and get the boarding pass at Stuggart, I can still check in and get the boarding at Frankurt Airport??
For the outbound trip, if I don‘t check in and get the boarding pass at Stuggart, I can still check in and get the boarding at Frankurt Airport??
Oct 10, 2015, 3:08 pm
#15
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,182
You need to checkin online for the entire trip before the train leaves ZWS. Showing up in FRA is perfectly fine in such cases.