Lufthansa is adopting a new policy for ticket flexibility that I can’t help but find to be a little questionable, as flagged by FrankfurtFlyer…
Continue reading: Oy: Lufthansa Now Charges Up To $1,760 To Cancel “Flexible” Tickets
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
And brainwashed morons still believes the propaganda that EU has better consumer protections.
Who even travels with lufthansa? Never ever heard anyone traveled with lufthansa.
Trash airline
Standby for unintended consequences. Clearly they want to prevent refunding. I'd assume that points travellers are booking these, then cancelling at just the right time, so they can book with points when the space is released. Does LH really believe they're missing out on real cash buyers because of this practice? Is it actually costing them money?
Good luck with your brilliant solution guys. In the call centre alone, LH will blow all their gains, when people flood them with complaints about refundable-not-refundable fares they bought.
Just another example of Germany, and German businesses, being on the wrong side of history
Probably they want to create a few other subsidiaries: one that offers flexible-flexible fares, and one with not-really-flexible fares.
The intention here is quite simple: The markets affected by this policy are markets where European Airlines have seen a massive increase in demand due to the closure of the hubs in the Middle East. Now, with the big Middle Eastern carriers slowly resuming their flight operations, LH is worried that a lot of people will book a LH Flex ticket as a backup, which they will cancel last minute to take a cheaper flight with one of the ME3 instead.
With these high cancellation fees, LH is saying that you either book the cheap option with one of the ME3 and take the risk that your flight gets cancelled, or you take us as the safe but expensive option, but we are not your back-up solution. It is ironic that LH considers itself as the save solution with all these strikes going on at the moment.
I wonder if this is related to the Middle East situation regarding Iran. I guess many people buy flex tickets and cancel if Emirates and Qatar can fly.
A bit surprised that you do not explore this possibility in the post.
As a point of fact …. LH is rated No: 15 in the World Rankings …. your preference is rated in which position? Do tell Jake old bean, give us all a laugh, yes?
As another point of fact, I have no preference for LH, but I do question nonsensical comments. Ben is sure to thank you for your click.
Ben, think a bit around the corner. Emirates, Qatar and Etihad fly frequently to these destinations. cause of the situation in the Middle East, many people buy a lufthansa ticket as backup. If airspace opens and the M3 will float the market with cheap tickets everyone would cancel his LH ticket to buy an e.g. emirates ticket. Lufthansa simply does not want that. So that's a way to make that fair for them. I think one year ahead they will return to the normal rules.
That's exactly what a friend working for LH is saying.
They have a lot of backup bookings for ME airlines and people just cancel their LH flights, if it looks like their original ME airline flight will take place.
The problem I see with the LH Group, once the notice that people still book flex tickets like this, they will just keep it. Of course, because the customer wants this
Just another example that airlines operate in strange market where certain types of demand are completely inelastic. Selling refundable fares that come with $1k+ fees is just exploiting this fact. I assume the audience for this abuse is mainly composed of OPM flyers with VeRY IMpOrTant JObS like making slide decks.
the thing is that you have other alternatives: KLM picks no fees in there business flex. So I think LH don't care at that moment cause these in the future cancelt bookings costs them more at current fuel prices as if these person do not book at all. In normal times you can't do this cause BA, KLM, etc. have real full flex tickets.
Dude tell me about it. There is no reason to fly this airline. I'd rather fly Ryanair.
They are nuts. Just another reason not to fly them anymore. A true one star airline.
Look how pathetic LH becomes.
They're a back up airline now.
And they're trying to monetize as a back up rather than trying to not be a back up.
Josh is also German.
Matthew is also German.
Sebastian is also German.
Sam Chui is German if you pay him enough.
We have too many Germans gaslighting us on the internet.
A few years later more subsidiaries.
One that offers flexible flexible-flexible fares, one with not-really-flexible flexible fares, and one with flexible not really flexible fares.
Then they all merge back into to Lufthansa but now it looks like Ryanair.
Also note this is countries where a visa is needed to EU/US (for the majority). Many travelers would like to book a ticket and then refund it, if their visa isn’t approved. To avoid this, Thai and Singapores “flex” tickets also come with a fairly high non-refundable amount.
If you are not seeing the sweeping anti-humanity tactics coming from this industry over the past week/month/years. You never will!!
Also, anyone flying Lufthansa is a fool. They have been shit for over 10 years, they tell you they are shit, and yet so many "can I have some more herr!
I've had a no LH policy since 2002. It remains.
The point about ME3 backup sounds likely.
But I do think they would cause less offence if they gave them a different label, E.g. Business Semi-Flex or Business CFAF (Cancellable For A Fee)
Below the top tier it is reasonable for people to read the specific T&Cs, for the top-tier the usual assumption is fully refundable.
I've never flown them. I won't do an airline without 1-2-1 in J, so they only recently could be considered. I've never had to refund a ticket (absent COVID), but these policies make them unattractive. They don't get much love in travel blogs, either.
Hey if this is the correct Jan , miss you and recently gave you recognition for some wisdom you've shared. Thanks.
@This comes to mind , you could always fly them in F where everyone's got direct aisle access. Not saying it's any good, mind- I'd much rather fly TK in business class.
I am not for too much regulation, but actions like these demand there should be regulations.
Lufthansa has lately become a rather unfriendly airline with all sorts of fees. Its air fares have always been on the high side but their professionalism & free-fee changes in some classes were good incentives. Now you have to pay for even seats.
I will certainly be avoiding Lufthansa & other over-charging airlines.
Not new. See Air Canada "Flex" fares which are non-refundable for cash, only for future travel credit.