Long Haul First Class Zeroed out?
 

Hello all,

About two months ago I purchase a first class ticket on Lufthansa at a tremendous price ARN-FRA-HKG the trip continued HKG-SIN on SQ and then LX for SIN-ZRH-ARN. This got all three great products for 3000 dollars which was worth the risk, especially as the fare rules state that if I cant get a visa (borders are closed) then I would get a refund. The ticket meant I would be in hong kong at the very end of september for the 24-28. As of a few weeks ago, the government banned visitors for september but not october and so I was looking at changing the ticket. After looking at alot of LH inventory and being unable to find any F or A availability for all of sep, oct I was curious if anyone had any insight into this issue. I assumed the airline was just trying to preserve flexibility so they can downgrade the aircraft to 343 and 359 if necessary which dont have F but is there something more I'm not aware of?

A few things that could explain this phenomenon (citing out of memory):
- the majority of the F capable aircraft is currently parked (and lounges closed)
- LH announces flight schedules on month-by-month basis only, if I remember well what is available now is July
- unless there is boom in traffic, no F is currently planned to HKG until the end of the summer season (the first date I see it offered is 25.10, the first day of the winter season)

I would advise wait and see! I managed to INVOL rebook BOG-FRA for Jan-2021 and it is showing me in F on A340 (which I thought was getting retired)

LH zeroed out F to all its asian destinations except PVG a few days ago.

This is due to the lack of aircraft that have F and partially also due to the bew corona flight shedule that predicts less demand.

LAX is also zeroed out which surprises me.. that’s one of the highest yielding F routes

Last week, I managed to move my F ticket HEL-FRA-HKG return from July to HEL departure on 13 Oct.

Seems you'll need to move it again. F on FRA-HKG will be gone until the 25th Oct. (at least)

Holidays booked so can’t move it, unless I can get onto LX. Or else have to accept the downgrade.

I totally forgot about LX. That will surely be possible.

Just checked my LH account and July/August FRA-HKG-FRA(A346) flights are confirmed although not in LH schedule anymore, LX F is available. Good, will rebook to December unless they are not matching QRs 5000 miles destination change free rebooking offer :)

Right now for August LAX F (even A) are quite wide open.
I think it was some temporary problem with F0/A0 on that route.

They will offer you also rerouting via ZRH (as LX have F on all their long-haul aircraft). If that not possible, then FRA-HKG will become FRA-PVG-HKG.
BUT, I had discussion with higher level of LH last week regarding it and confirmed, that as soon booking situation allows (means, there will be also enough pax for J and Y cabins, there will be again A346 on that route. A346 are parked today but kept possible to take them back to air within just few days. At least some of them.

I had a situation for FRA-HKG flight in beginning of July, where F was totally sold out -- not zeroued out, but sold out. Unfortunately there was less than 10 pax in J and Y cabins so the flight was downgraded to A343 and I am 70% sure will cancell finally. But the LX will still fly with F.

Another question is, that currently only from 18.September it is possible to enter HK wihtout mandatory quarantine.
Hopefully they will change it as otherwise most of the hotels and many other businesses in HK will banckrupt soon, but will see...

I prefer LX any day to LH but PVG-HKG with CX would add some TPs to BA account. I can travel until beginning of September and then from December again but without staying 14 days in HK. With M&M my things are simple this year: Two trips and Senator or nothing.