Lufthansa Ticket Refund Timeline
#91
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
The big issue is the lack of transparency and communication. Other airlines have done a better job setting expectations (or just have more cashflow on the matter). Twitter is full with desperate people asking what to do. SN keeps telling the public to phone their Service Center for a refund and can't provide a timeframe nor the status of your request.
They quickly removed the form on their website when it became clear they had to cancel all their flights back in March.
They quickly removed the form on their website when it became clear they had to cancel all their flights back in March.
Carsten Spohr has only two goals: 1. Keep Lufthansa alive; 2. Keep the government out of Lufthansa by keeping a threat of a Schutzschirmverfahren (with result in big job losses) alive!
In order to achieve these goals, the ticket funds must stay with Lufthansa.
It's political money!
#92
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New Delhi
Programs: Miles n More Senator ,Marriots Platinum, Hhonors Diamond, Miles n Smile elites,ITA Volare Premium
Posts: 162
The simplest and least-stressful way to deal with this is to make your request for a refund to LH and then wait 7 days. If the refund has been initiated, all the better. If not, on the 8th day you should initiate a chargeback with your credit card issuer (bank) and, in the case of tickets to or from the US, a DOT complaint as well.
With both, you should supply a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the notice of cancellation (possible screen shot showing absence of flight), your request for a refund, and any acknowledgement from LH (or a note that no acknowledgement has been received).
There is nothing extreme or hard (for you) about chargebacks and it is unlikely that LH will push back unless you have erroneously claimed a refund. DOT does not enforce individual matters, but it does evaluate whether the matter is within its jurisdiction and then send the complaint to LH requiring a response to the consumer with a copy to DOT. Given that DOT rules require a refund be initiated within 7 days, there really is not much for LH to do other than to respond that it has done so. Unless, of course, you have made an error.
By supplying the documents listed above, you make fairly short work of this for your bank as well.
With both, you should supply a copy of your e-ticket receipt, the notice of cancellation (possible screen shot showing absence of flight), your request for a refund, and any acknowledgement from LH (or a note that no acknowledgement has been received).
There is nothing extreme or hard (for you) about chargebacks and it is unlikely that LH will push back unless you have erroneously claimed a refund. DOT does not enforce individual matters, but it does evaluate whether the matter is within its jurisdiction and then send the complaint to LH requiring a response to the consumer with a copy to DOT. Given that DOT rules require a refund be initiated within 7 days, there really is not much for LH to do other than to respond that it has done so. Unless, of course, you have made an error.
By supplying the documents listed above, you make fairly short work of this for your bank as well.
#94
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New Delhi
Programs: Miles n More Senator ,Marriots Platinum, Hhonors Diamond, Miles n Smile elites,ITA Volare Premium
Posts: 162
#98
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: CH, D, USA
Posts: 1,724
I advise against a chargeback, lots of work, low chance of success (even though you are right they are wrong). Plus you risk loosing the ability to use for another flight and get a 50 Euro (questionable) voucher.
#99
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
I advise against a chargeback, lots of work, low chance of success (even though you are right they are wrong). Plus you risk loosing the ability to use for another flight and get a 50 Euro (questionable) voucher.
Hence, I'd still recommend to try a chargeback first.
#100
Join Date: May 2020
Location: BRU
Programs: QR Silver, AC Silver
Posts: 50
Suing will only cost you more money and time. We'll just have to be patient in the end.
Edit: we have a consumer organization (Test-Aankoop) that protects consumers for fraud, bad practice and so on. They also provide legal advice and usually can pressure entities to respect EU-law. Regarding refunds from Ryanair and SN, their repeated reminders for overdue refunds have been left unanswered.
Edit: we have a consumer organization (Test-Aankoop) that protects consumers for fraud, bad practice and so on. They also provide legal advice and usually can pressure entities to respect EU-law. Regarding refunds from Ryanair and SN, their repeated reminders for overdue refunds have been left unanswered.
Last edited by flyvinci; May 27, 2020 at 4:18 am Reason: More info
#101
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
we have a consumer organization (Test-Aankoop) that protects consumers for fraud, bad practice and so on.
#102
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: CHS
Programs: UA ex-1k, now Gold bumped up from Silver
Posts: 155
Requested a refund from Lufthansa in late March through AMEX travel: 2 J tickets booked through AMEX EWR-RIX ... didn't notice until yesterday but received the refund on May 19. But I miss being on the upper deck of the 747 ...
#103
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
Requested a refund from Lufthansa in late March through AMEX travel: 2 J tickets booked through AMEX EWR-RIX ... didn't notice until yesterday but received the refund on May 19. But I miss being on the upper deck of the 747 ...
#104
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
I had a combination of four LH/LX flights that were supposed to start on Monday morning. My assistant called LH yesterday morning and was asked if we would prefer a voucher or refund (I told her I'm fine with a voucher). She said 'refund' and it was processed in about five minutes. I'm reliably informed it showed up on the credit card this morning. Just a data point.
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
Sometimes we get excited and post erroneously. My credit card company told me that they have refunded the Lufthansa amount to my card. And here I am like an idiot thought Lufthansa had refunded me. My apologies to all FT'ers, LH never refunded it was my credit card that did. I am sorry to post incorrect information.