Lufthansa Ticket Refund Timeline
May 21, 2020, 12:41 pm
#76
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BTS/VIE
Programs: LH MM**, HH Silver
Posts: 2,282
my refund initiated April 15, no money refunded so far. Was a C promo.
May 21, 2020, 12:48 pm
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
May 22, 2020, 2:26 am
#78
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 1
Refund initiated over 7 weeks ago (31 March) - Economy Light within the E.U., normally non-refundable, however they guaranteed full refund under the coronavirus circumstances.
Called Lufthansa Customer Service today: They reassured there'll be full refund but couldn't say when the payment will be processed. Thus, I'll be just checking my credit card statement and get back to them in about 30 days. If not refunded by then, I'll consider triggering travel insurance and/or credit card chargeback processes. All we need is patience. And some liquidity.
Called Lufthansa Customer Service today: They reassured there'll be full refund but couldn't say when the payment will be processed. Thus, I'll be just checking my credit card statement and get back to them in about 30 days. If not refunded by then, I'll consider triggering travel insurance and/or credit card chargeback processes. All we need is patience. And some liquidity.
May 22, 2020, 3:28 am
#79
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Nothing has been decided yet. The supervisory board will not meet today, and it is the only body capable of calling the extraordinary shareholders meeting. Expect this to take several more weeks.
May 22, 2020, 12:15 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
I don't expect Germany to let their national airline to disappear. When it comes to politics everything is possible.
May 24, 2020, 11:39 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
Refund initiated over 7 weeks ago (31 March) - Economy Light within the E.U., normally non-refundable, however they guaranteed full refund under the coronavirus circumstances.
Called Lufthansa Customer Service today: They reassured there'll be full refund but couldn't say when the payment will be processed. Thus, I'll be just checking my credit card statement and get back to them in about 30 days. If not refunded by then, I'll consider triggering travel insurance and/or credit card chargeback processes. All we need is patience. And some liquidity.
Called Lufthansa Customer Service today: They reassured there'll be full refund but couldn't say when the payment will be processed. Thus, I'll be just checking my credit card statement and get back to them in about 30 days. If not refunded by then, I'll consider triggering travel insurance and/or credit card chargeback processes. All we need is patience. And some liquidity.
May 25, 2020, 9:42 am
#84
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
May 25, 2020, 12:23 pm
#85
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: CH, D, USA
Posts: 1,727
1st of March booked a ticket.
Same day cancelled under 24h hour rule. Refund promised within one day.
Nothing. I think I called after a week and they said refund looks done. Honestly I forgot to check it again in May after checking a few times in April.
Today I received an email about flexibility and voucher etc. It says more or less I requested a refund, it is pending, and I should cancel the refund request against 50 Euro voucher.
It's a real joke. I wish I could avoid them forever. Unbelievably low business ethics. Blatant ignorance for the law. Now that the bailout so secured I have no understanding. I wish somebody took the time to evaluate criminal consequences of such management actions. It sure feels wrong to me.
At least I won't forget to use the ticket now. And probably they win their game in the end and I will go for the voucher. I have no time to fight.
Same day cancelled under 24h hour rule. Refund promised within one day.
Nothing. I think I called after a week and they said refund looks done. Honestly I forgot to check it again in May after checking a few times in April.
Today I received an email about flexibility and voucher etc. It says more or less I requested a refund, it is pending, and I should cancel the refund request against 50 Euro voucher.
It's a real joke. I wish I could avoid them forever. Unbelievably low business ethics. Blatant ignorance for the law. Now that the bailout so secured I have no understanding. I wish somebody took the time to evaluate criminal consequences of such management actions. It sure feels wrong to me.
At least I won't forget to use the ticket now. And probably they win their game in the end and I will go for the voucher. I have no time to fight.
May 26, 2020, 3:06 am
#86
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: LH FT, AA Plat
Posts: 198
I wish I could avoid them forever. Unbelievably low business ethics. Blatant ignorance for the law. Now that the bailout so secured I have no understanding. I wish somebody took the time to evaluate criminal consequences of such management actions. It sure feels wrong to me.
May 26, 2020, 4:21 am
#87
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
It is a business decision by Carsten Spohr to not refund anything at the moment.
The Lufthansa Group is holding onto that money so they can effectively threaten their shareholders, the EU commission and the German government to accept a rescue plan, and receive as much as free money as possible without having to give anything (e.g. voting rights, board members, slots).
The threat revolves around the Schutzschirmverfahren (a kind of Chapter 11 bankcruptcy protection scheme in Germany). In order to start a Schutzschirmverfahren Lufthansa must have enough cash in their bank accounts.
That cash is largely sourced from not refunded tickets (where Lufthansa has cancelled the flights for).
Without that cash -> no Schutzschirmverfahren -> no Schutzschirmverfahren means the threat of a Schutzschirmverfahren is gone -> no favourable rescue package with free money!
The Lufthansa Group is holding onto that money so they can effectively threaten their shareholders, the EU commission and the German government to accept a rescue plan, and receive as much as free money as possible without having to give anything (e.g. voting rights, board members, slots).
The threat revolves around the Schutzschirmverfahren (a kind of Chapter 11 bankcruptcy protection scheme in Germany). In order to start a Schutzschirmverfahren Lufthansa must have enough cash in their bank accounts.
That cash is largely sourced from not refunded tickets (where Lufthansa has cancelled the flights for).
Without that cash -> no Schutzschirmverfahren -> no Schutzschirmverfahren means the threat of a Schutzschirmverfahren is gone -> no favourable rescue package with free money!
May 26, 2020, 4:33 am
#88
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: LH FT, AA Plat
Posts: 198
It is a business decision by Carsten Spohr to not refund anything at the moment.
The Lufthansa Group is holding onto that money so they can effectively threaten their shareholders, the EU commission and the German government to accept a rescue plan, and receive as much as free money as possible without having to give anything (e.g. voting rights, board members, slots).
The threat revolves around the Schutzschirmverfahren (a kind of Chapter 11 bankcruptcy protection scheme in Germany). In order to start a Schutzschirmverfahren Lufthansa must have enough cash in their bank accounts.
That cash is largely sourced from not refunded tickets (where Lufthansa has cancelled the flights for).
Without that cash -> no Schutzschirmverfahren -> no Schutzschirmverfahren means the threat of a Schutzschirmverfahren is gone -> no favourable rescue package with free money!
The Lufthansa Group is holding onto that money so they can effectively threaten their shareholders, the EU commission and the German government to accept a rescue plan, and receive as much as free money as possible without having to give anything (e.g. voting rights, board members, slots).
The threat revolves around the Schutzschirmverfahren (a kind of Chapter 11 bankcruptcy protection scheme in Germany). In order to start a Schutzschirmverfahren Lufthansa must have enough cash in their bank accounts.
That cash is largely sourced from not refunded tickets (where Lufthansa has cancelled the flights for).
Without that cash -> no Schutzschirmverfahren -> no Schutzschirmverfahren means the threat of a Schutzschirmverfahren is gone -> no favourable rescue package with free money!
May 26, 2020, 4:41 am
#89
Join Date: May 2020
Location: BRU
Programs: QR Silver, AC Silver
Posts: 50
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.
May 26, 2020, 4:56 am
#90
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
But with the cash AND the bailout funds, do they intend to refund people? Or are they going for the "20$ is 20$" even if it's illegal ?
This may take another six weeks.
What happens once the bailout funds has been paid out -> the priority is to pay for new Airbus planes, safeguarding jobs ..... ticket refunds are very low in the list.
Hence, only with a court verdict, you have a realistic chance to receive the cash refund.