The gap between Lufthansa and Ryanair has just narrowed even further. Not in terms of fares, but in terms of passenger experience.
In this post:
Lufthansa adds $35 seat amendment fee
Lufthansa’s Economy Light fares don’t include seat assignments in advance. Up until now, it has been possible to select a seat at the time of check-in when booking an Economy Light fare, from all remaining unoccupied economy seats. As Lufthansa described this option up until now:
Of course, all the remaining seats can still be selected free of charge once check-in for the relevant flight begins, usually from 23 hours before departure. Please note that, in this case, the selection can in some circumstances be limited.
I do think it’s particularly noteworthy how Lufthansa describes this as “of course” (“Selbstverständlich” in German), essentially suggesting that it would be ridiculous to have any other policy.
Well, “of course” everyone’s favorite five-star European airline has a new policy:
The Economy Light fare on European routes does not include any free advance seat reservations. You will be allocated a seat automatically when checking in. If you would like to change this seat, an amendment fee starting from EUR 25/CHF 35/USD 35 will be charged with effect from 21.6.2022.
As of June 1, 2022, Lufthansa will assign economy seats at the time of check-in when traveling on Economy Light fares. If you don’t like your seat, you’ll have to pay an “amendment fee,” starting at $35. So yeah, you can bet that you’ll most likely be assigned a middle seat, and if you don’t want that, you can pay a €25 (or $35) fee for the privilege of being assigned a better seat.
What are Lufthansa’s Economy Light fares?
Economy Light is Lufthansa’s version of the basic economy fares that we have with the major legacy carriers in the United States. Lufthansa’s Economy Light fares:
- Do include a carry-on, the standard food & beverage offerings in economy, and the ability to earn miles and status credits
- Don’t include seat assignments in advance or refunds; for a fee you can book advance seat assignments and get a checked bag
Suffice it to say that many people may have been happy to book these fares when they could at least select a seat at check-in. However, I imagine the economics change if you have to spend a minimum of €50 for roundtrip seat assignments.
Bottom line
Lufthansa has added a new €25 fee to assign seats after check-in on Economy Light fares. With the old policy, you could select any empty “standard” economy seat 24 hours before departure, when check-in opens. Now the system will automatically assign you a (probably middle) seat, and if you want to change it, you’ll have to pay.
For some, I’m sure this will change the value proposition of Lufthansa’s Economy Light fares.
What do you make of Lufthansa’s Economy Light seating policy change?
(Tip of the hat to YHBU)
It will cost us 366.00 extra to pay for seats from Chicago to Munich and Munich to Budapest. Last time I book with them
Absolute rubish.
I have been constantly assigned seats in last few rows. Fed up with it and will never fly Lufthansa again!
Greed & stupidity. Luft was my go to European airline but teutonic idiocy is obvious here. BTW , " Martin" is an idiot!
Time to leave star alliance and seek for better options.
I will not travel Lufthansa next time seat selection policy is totally wrong
It’s been entirely left out that this only affects inter-European flights (not international/transatlantic flights). This isn’t a huge deal, as your connecting flight within Europe will probably be relatively short.
Nope. True for all US to EU flights as well
Untrue - just flew two international eco light legs with the liberty to choose any seat at check-in.
As with any airline ticket today, you have to think about what you NEED from the flight to determine what your best option is. If you don’t need a seat assignment or checked bag, the savings could be worthwhile. If you need an aisle seat or a checked bag, the savings isn’t actual savings once you tack on the required fees.
Doesn't BA do the same thing including Business Class?
I will not fly Lufthansa any more. It was my favourite Airline for many many years. Very disappointed in Lufthansa.I have to look into different airlines since I have to fly to Europe in July.
I recently flew to Frankfurt and was happy to chose a seat at checkin. I couldn’t of course. So, in sfo I hoped to choose at the airport. Lufthansa had a sign up “flight full no seat changes” they had assigned me a middle seat. On the plane it was obvious that there were many open economy seats. Thanks Lufthansa.
Coming back to sfo to Frankfurt the security personnel at Frankfurt were on strike....
I recently flew to Frankfurt and was happy to chose a seat at checkin. I couldn’t of course. So, in sfo I hoped to choose at the airport. Lufthansa had a sign up “flight full no seat changes” they had assigned me a middle seat. On the plane it was obvious that there were many open economy seats. Thanks Lufthansa.
Coming back to sfo to Frankfurt the security personnel at Frankfurt were on strike. I had flown in the day before from Mauritius and had the told me I would have stayed in the airport and would have been able to return on my flight. By this point I had paid for a seat assignment after my previous experience. Lufthansa was able to book me a flight from Munich and even offered to pay the train fare. But not on a train that would get me to Munich on time! My outbound ticket included two checked bags at no cost. My return didn’t! I had to pay $280 US to check one. My bags were stuck in Frankfurt. United in Pdx did a fabulous job of getting my bags to Pdx and sending the over 80 miles to my house. Adios Lufthansa.
5 star? Hard to believe that. I flew with them last month for the first time. Normally fly delta or klm. Also bought my choice of seats.
Service and perks were mediocre at best.
Lufthansa has lost its good reputation as it used to be. In past i have travelled by Lufthansa many times when it was considered one of the best carriers. But very sorry to say my experience vey recently on my travel from Dallas to Mumbai via Frankfurt had been very pathetic. They have adopted so much of cost cutting measures which reflects in their service quality, type of meals, cleanliness and upkeep of aircrafts, unfriendly...
Lufthansa has lost its good reputation as it used to be. In past i have travelled by Lufthansa many times when it was considered one of the best carriers. But very sorry to say my experience vey recently on my travel from Dallas to Mumbai via Frankfurt had been very pathetic. They have adopted so much of cost cutting measures which reflects in their service quality, type of meals, cleanliness and upkeep of aircrafts, unfriendly crew behaviour etc. The economy class passengers are the worst affected. I had to almost starve during entire journey from USA to Mumbai due to extremely bad food served and that too after funishing their service upto premium economy class. Airlibe management should review this situation and take corrective action to restore the glory. Atleast, i hdve decided not to travel by this airline. I am a senior citizen and had to bear the brunt of it on my health. Advise others to share thrir experirnce honestly so that it benefits others before deciding to book tickets by this carrier.
I’m afraid Lufthansa has lost my chose of traveling.
The flight is no longer a pleasant flight.
Welcome to Ryanair no 2
Lufthansa also need to recognise the fact that some people have breathing difficulties. I recently flew with Lufthansa from London to Frankfurt and then on to Singapore. Although I had made enquiries with the airline about people with COPD and the wearing of face masks, they appeared to take no notice. I produced a letter signed by my doctor stating that I had breathing difficulties (COPD) and that I was exempt from wearing a mask....
Lufthansa also need to recognise the fact that some people have breathing difficulties. I recently flew with Lufthansa from London to Frankfurt and then on to Singapore. Although I had made enquiries with the airline about people with COPD and the wearing of face masks, they appeared to take no notice. I produced a letter signed by my doctor stating that I had breathing difficulties (COPD) and that I was exempt from wearing a mask. Lufthansa airline completely ignored all the information presented to them. Lufthansa,,, you need to get a grip and listen to what your customers are saying to you. Pay attention to the information presented to you. I will NOT be flying with you again.
With other food airlines to choose from we will now avoid this airline
I paid nearly 60 euros for a preferred economy aisle seat on my last long haul from FRA to YVR.
Got to the gate with my boarding pass...boarding denied. Ended up in a middle seat in row 50. Lufthansa is the worst perpetrator for failing to honour even paid seat selections when you've booked a K fare. Won't respond to my refund request...will have to do a chargeback now. Never again.
Lufthansa are monsters Inc.
A month before my flight I called to get the best seats I could with $150 in upgrade seating for two. I have confirmed seats for those chosen seats weeks in advance. On the day of my flight I also received confirmation for those seats.
I go to the gate and find that I have been pushed all the way back into the airplane without notification nor explanation.
I go...
Lufthansa are monsters Inc.
A month before my flight I called to get the best seats I could with $150 in upgrade seating for two. I have confirmed seats for those chosen seats weeks in advance. On the day of my flight I also received confirmation for those seats.
I go to the gate and find that I have been pushed all the way back into the airplane without notification nor explanation.
I go to the gate agent and ask for help. She is very terse and rude and says she needs o deal with another flight. And to come back later. I do. I come back later and I am told to go hurry, the gate has been changed a 10 minute walk away. I go 10 minutes and at that gate I find that the gate is closing and the agent there tells me YA YEAH Gates change all the time, that is the nature of travel. I tell him no, I dont think so, I've travelled for 50 years and this is not normal. He gets angry at me and closes the door and says no more boarding.
I look at him and go, wow. Is this guy for real ?
I ask him for his supervisor. He refuses. I ask him for his name he refuses. I take a photo of his badge and he TELLS ME delete it or I will call the police. I say go right ahead. Call the Police. (Yeah I now believe what those Jewish passengers went through with Lufthansa agents at Frankfurt). Then he looks at my boarding ticket and says, wait, I'm not even supposed to be here, go to another gate, 15 minute walk in another direction. SO ! These agents are responding to their changing my PAID Seat assignments in front of the airplane by GAS LIGHTING ME back and forth between gates, seeing if I get tired waiting in multiple lines and will just take any seat. To the point of even threatening the Police.
WOW ! Somebody needs to take a look at Lufthansa operations in Frankfurt.
Pretty soon, they should all be wearing Black Shirts and a Swastika.
Lufthansa is an embarrassment to Germany and the Star Alliance.
A) Why are you taking the customers money and giving them front seats, then taking them away when they show up to the gate ?
B) Why are you not refunding them when you change their seats ?
C) Why are you agents playing some ridiculous game of ping pong with sending customers back and forth to different gates ?
D) Why are Lufthansa personnel not offering their supervisors but become angry and send you away to come back later or threaten to call the police ? WTF MAN ?
Lufthansa Operations need to be shut down. They are operating in a very low level that is a significant liability to the Star Alliance.
Lufthansa is literally the AA of Europe. The only way they can get away with such behavior is because they really force people through their hubs. They know they don’t have to try to do anything to attract customers, I’m guessing because they (or rather the group) are often the only option that works for many people, especially in secondary European cities.
I had been a loyal Lufthansa customer (even paying more to fly with them) until they some "genius" decided it was time to follow the "American model". Its funny that they chose seating, something that doesnt cost them a cent to allow you to choose from. Well, if they want to follow the American model, I might just as well fly an American or whatever airline is cheapest. As a matter of fact that change...
I had been a loyal Lufthansa customer (even paying more to fly with them) until they some "genius" decided it was time to follow the "American model". Its funny that they chose seating, something that doesnt cost them a cent to allow you to choose from. Well, if they want to follow the American model, I might just as well fly an American or whatever airline is cheapest. As a matter of fact that change was enough to where I now AVOID Lufthansa whenever possible! "Punitive" seating is just one more reason I feel I made the right decision.
My guess is that, on shorthaul flights, most passengers looking for the lowest possible fare won't care, but on longhaul, most passengers would pay. If the load is relatively light, I would just switch seats after takeoff, unless they enforce a no seat change rule
Lufthansa is a new RYANAIR. As a FTL, from one year I choose only LOT POLISH (FREE drinks&food, FREE baggage for FTL and seat, of course). Lufthansa is no longer 5-Star airline!!!
I'm still peeved that they want $50 per seat to select a seat in premium economy. I was able to upgrade ORD-MUC with miles, but realized my FRA-ORD return is N Class, not upgradable, and we can't select seats until check-in. I can't believe I really did this for more UA PQP.
This is taking profit at the expense of customers. Shame on you Luftansa !
By the way, travelling regularly on Lufthansa it already happens that your chosen seat gets reassigned so that they can cramp all passengers backwards, leaving 10 empty rows at the front. Probably to facilitate service, again at the expense of customers.
Covid is not an excuse to disregard your customers.
Lufthansa has been worse than Ryanair for a while already. Sure, the cheapest ticket on LH is a bit better than the cheapest ticket on FR, but if you go for FR's Regular or Plus fare, the product is better than LH Economy Classic and it usually costs much less.
The only reason to not take Ryanair is if you're travelling to a city where they use secondary airport, or when the schedule doesn't suit...
Lufthansa has been worse than Ryanair for a while already. Sure, the cheapest ticket on LH is a bit better than the cheapest ticket on FR, but if you go for FR's Regular or Plus fare, the product is better than LH Economy Classic and it usually costs much less.
The only reason to not take Ryanair is if you're travelling to a city where they use secondary airport, or when the schedule doesn't suit you. Otherwise Ryanair wins all the time, just carry headphones to avoid on board ads.
Oh, I would go as far as to say Lufthansa has fallen behind Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizzair on European flights. At least with the ULCCs, you can select a front row/exit row for €20, or other good seats for €5-12. Fares that include a large carry-on usually come with some kind of a decent seat included, plus "priority" boarding.
You also get a decently priced on-board snack/drink selection with LCCs, unlike LH Group airlines,...
Oh, I would go as far as to say Lufthansa has fallen behind Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizzair on European flights. At least with the ULCCs, you can select a front row/exit row for €20, or other good seats for €5-12. Fares that include a large carry-on usually come with some kind of a decent seat included, plus "priority" boarding.
You also get a decently priced on-board snack/drink selection with LCCs, unlike LH Group airlines, which either don't offer any food at all, or go bananas with the pricing, hiding behind the "organic" and "premium" stickers.
I will avoid Lufthansa in the future as much as possible. I flew three airlines in my trip to Greece from California. I had to check in, pick seats, and make amendments on two of the airlines with no problem. Lufthansa was a problem. I had to pay $70 to ensure a seat with my husband. I picked our seats and were given our boarding passes the next day at the airport. They changed our...
I will avoid Lufthansa in the future as much as possible. I flew three airlines in my trip to Greece from California. I had to check in, pick seats, and make amendments on two of the airlines with no problem. Lufthansa was a problem. I had to pay $70 to ensure a seat with my husband. I picked our seats and were given our boarding passes the next day at the airport. They changed our seats! We got horrible seats and they were so small and close together, I cannot see how that was even humane. It was the first time I ever had a panic attack on a flight from claustrophobia. I hope I’m never forced to need that airline again.
LFH flights’ service have been deteriorating significantly both on the ground and on air. Now, it is deteriorating in on line services and booking flights. Lack of transparency, kind of blackmailing. Shame on them. Won’t recommend anyone to fly with LFH
From pampering, courteous airlines to extorting from paying pax, seen all in 7 decades.
To make things even better, Y catering is suspended on short intra-Europe flights, they're claiming staffing shortages. So not even buy on board or a choice of beverages is available.
And yet their pricing still screams full service carrier.....
LH has lost its way, the brand positioning is a mess and customer service at all-time lows:
They position LH as premium, yet create these ridiculous light fares. Yet on Eurowings flights, there is a biz class and you get extra carry on, priority seat assignments & boarding as *A Gold.
Service is terrible: ground service at secondary airports is outsourced to untrained staff, needing 1h for biz class check-in, once it's your...
LH has lost its way, the brand positioning is a mess and customer service at all-time lows:
They position LH as premium, yet create these ridiculous light fares. Yet on Eurowings flights, there is a biz class and you get extra carry on, priority seat assignments & boarding as *A Gold.
Service is terrible: ground service at secondary airports is outsourced to untrained staff, needing 1h for biz class check-in, once it's your turn that is...
Operations is a mess: after multiple cancelled flights, they didn't rebook us, didn't allow online rebooking, only refund & new booking at 10x the price or call with 1h+ hold times to fix manually - and no flexibility to salvage the mess they made...
I was one of those die-hard LH fans for many, many years - but I'm done until they stop viewing their passengers as enemies and return to being a customer-centric premium airline. Maybe they should hire some SQ staff to start the recovery process...
I flew Lufthansa r/t SEA to ATH, January 2022. The outbound flight featured such outrageously bad service and manners that I thought I was in an SNL skit about Nazi flight attendants. Never again!
And add to that the Ticket Service Charge of about 25 EUR LH is now adding for ticket purchases in their own website!!!!!
I would be able to accept this, if LH's tickets in Eco Light where cheap. They are not.
At SN, they are already doing it partially: advance seat assignment fees already apply (12 EUR for standard seat) during online check-in (same as before check-in), however you could ask check-in agent at the airport to change your seat, that remained free. I already hated this change.
Absolutely ridiculous they are a 5 start airline
I find it difficult to find this earth shattering news when you consider what British Airlines is doing for Business Class. We flew to LHR last month with fully paid Business Classes tickets and BA wanted to charge up to $168 each to reserve each seat, each way. BA is convenient for us when flying to Europe, but they've lost my business employing such a money grabbing practice. I can perhaps understand it for a basic economy ticket but not for Business Class.
I stopped flying LH many years ago. They´ve been getting meaner and meaner and meaner with basically everything. The only thing I dont blame them for is their current business class product. That is decent.
Even BA let's you choose a seat 24 hour prior to departure. LH has become one of the worst airlines in Europe. I wonder how much they paid to get this 5-star Skytraxx rating, which, quite frankly, has become a complete joke in the industry.
When does the Skytrax rating get updated?
@Timothy
When the checks from Lufty stop coming in.
Well of course Lufthansa is simply trying to get people to avoid buying the economy light fares and trade up.
Well with the substandard business class, increasingly frugal catering and poor service, soon passengers may decide to avoid Lufthansa itself.
Honestly they had the second worst economy product in Europe- slightly worst then SAS and mildly better then Iberia and BA. But with this, they will soon be topping the charts.
As...
Well of course Lufthansa is simply trying to get people to avoid buying the economy light fares and trade up.
Well with the substandard business class, increasingly frugal catering and poor service, soon passengers may decide to avoid Lufthansa itself.
Honestly they had the second worst economy product in Europe- slightly worst then SAS and mildly better then Iberia and BA. But with this, they will soon be topping the charts.
As far as the worst European business class goes, Lufthansa is simply unrivalled. At least KLM is trying to update their fleet as quickly as they can however Lufthansa continues to proceed at a glacial pace with its quintessential smugness and hubris- we can charge high fares and provide customers with a substandard experience because we can!
I would bet that Lufthansa's competitors in this market also charge similar fees.
You'd lose some money, then, because Lufthansa Group's primary competitors are ULCCs, and even they tend to be somewhat reasonable with ancillary fees.
If you have a credit card that pays for such fees then this would be a charge the benefit would include. Some credit card benefits pay for travel directly whereas others pay for extra expenses. Some of these are linked to specific airlines. Others are not.
Any free seat assignment option for *S or *G?
Screw them
I think you're jumping the gun here when assuming the worst. So far there isn't a single documented case of people being assigned middle seats when windows and aisles were available. I travel standby so always get last minute seat assignments after every paying passengers gets a crack at it (now including these Economy Lite passengers), and their automated system is set up to assign the BEST AVAILABLE seat at the time the actual seat...
I think you're jumping the gun here when assuming the worst. So far there isn't a single documented case of people being assigned middle seats when windows and aisles were available. I travel standby so always get last minute seat assignments after every paying passengers gets a crack at it (now including these Economy Lite passengers), and their automated system is set up to assign the BEST AVAILABLE seat at the time the actual seat assignment is given. If you buy a fare that won't allow you to select something in advance, then this of course means a much higher probability of a middle seat if the flight is quite busy. But that doesn't at all mean a middle seat will be assigned when better alternatives are available. You have to wait your turn based on the type of fare you purchase, and being at the back of the line carries risks that are common sense. Nothing less, nothing more.
Since when is anything with LH best available? Tends to be rather punitive against all that didn't pay fantasy prices for a shit product that honestly has little differentiation left to LCCs.
They should realise things like the free seat assignment at check in aren't the reason people choose light over classic, but LH over EasyJet.
Turkish does the same. I am Star Alliance gold, but still had to pay for a seat further away from the tail...
How did LH go downhill so far, and so fast, without Doug Parker's help?
I've been flying with LH since 1982 and they have progressively become worse and worse. Now that I live near Dresden, they are the main airline from here but in a week I will be driving to Berlin to take a different airline to New York. LH is absolutely lousy !!
Well Lufthansa if I don't want a seat you choose for me , then I simply won't fly with you. Klm is was miles and more ahead ,(excuse the pun). And I do prefer flying with Ryan then with you.. keep up this attitude ... See how far gets you
This is ludicrous. If they apply this to SEN, I will try hard to avoid LH wherever possible. (Easier said than done, my home airports are FRA and DUS.)
Do LH or Star elites get to avoid this fee?
So can fly nonstop on Ryanair with bags and exit row for half the price of this LH nonsense...
Seems like a longterm winning strategy for LH...
It stands to reason FR deserves to be named a five-star airline as they are now pretty much equivalent to Lufthansa!
As most Airlines around the globe have been charging this fee for a long time, I fully understand. When people book half a year before their cheap ass ticket and want to block all good seats for free. While people who decide short notice and pay way more have to sit on the leftover seats….I don’t think so.
But that's not what is happening here. If you're flying Economy Light, your seat is currently assigned only at check-in. The main change is that right now, you can switch to any of the remaining seats *at check-in* for free, whereas going forward there will be a few.
So it doesn't affect your scenario at all.
This is actually not that atypical for basic economy in general. Aegean also does this (though I was assigned window or aisle seats on all three flights I took with them back in March; I do have Star Gold with United though). I *think* United does this as well though it's been a while since I've flown on a UA BE fare.
True, but Aegean does not charge the change of the seat for 25€. I think that Lufthansa can now be called a low cost airline after all these changes!
No, Lufthansa is not a racist company. Some People scream racism when they are not following instructions or rules.
…and then some people (Hallo Lue!) don’t follow the news when it comes to LH and Jews.
LH is also the preferred airline to fly in to and out of TEL AVIV by (Israeli) religious Jews. I guess those passengers either don't care or they don't feel the same about LH being racists :)
But can you still get a kosher meal on request?! Who cares to fly with these racists anymore? #flyingwhilejewish
LH is the preferred airline to fly in and out of TEL AVIV for religious Jews - they obviously dont care. Generally the 3 flights/day on the FRA-TLV routes are full.
A silly desperate attempt to grab a few more Euros from passengers. Most people booking a Lite fare are short haul travellers, who wouldnt really mind a middle seat for an hour or two. LH seems to have given up any pretention to remain a high quality airline. Most German I know prefer to fly Easyjet.
LH have been going downhill ever since they got that 5* rating from Skytrax for their renderings of business class seats which don’t exist, and then upped the pace of downhill acceleration after the latest government/public-funded bailout. If they keep on the same track as they are, they’ll be doing all sorts of nasty things before too long, such as banning Jews from flying, just you wait and see
As a LH senator (dropped to silver right before pandemic) who you used to be a big fanboy, the appeal of the airline is rapidly disappearing.
I used to get excited to fly them (most of the time economy or premium economy) but the light fares and the fact that strong liquor are not included anymore was already a turn-off. Heck, I remember being able to get a GT free of charge on the...
As a LH senator (dropped to silver right before pandemic) who you used to be a big fanboy, the appeal of the airline is rapidly disappearing.
I used to get excited to fly them (most of the time economy or premium economy) but the light fares and the fact that strong liquor are not included anymore was already a turn-off. Heck, I remember being able to get a GT free of charge on the BRU - FRA leg back in 2018...
Adding the fact that I might have a middle seat is for me a reason to actively avoid them.
How a great airline became terrible in over 2 years..
LH is really the worst and I say this as a Miles and More Senator who is forced to fly both them and Austrian bc of their dominance in Central Europe.
They are never price competitive, never flexible (OS is even worse than LH in that regard), the inflight product in Economy, Premium Economy and Business is subpar and increasingly their aircraft are old and shabby, I flew a 29 year old A320 from VIE...
LH is really the worst and I say this as a Miles and More Senator who is forced to fly both them and Austrian bc of their dominance in Central Europe.
They are never price competitive, never flexible (OS is even worse than LH in that regard), the inflight product in Economy, Premium Economy and Business is subpar and increasingly their aircraft are old and shabby, I flew a 29 year old A320 from VIE to FRA on Friday that was in rough shape interior wise.
FRA too has become a joke, worse than CDG. Connecting between A and Z, particularly to a US flight is a hike and bc the elevators are often jam packed one has to go down 6 flights of stairs, not easy for the elderly, those with children or those with mobility issues. Passport control is often understaffed and the police are increasingly aggressive - asking to see a return flight, a hotel reservation and when leaving Germany they demand to see your entry stamp into the EU. And when you calmly show them, they get annoyed, offer no thank you or apology, just stamp your passport without so much as any further acknowledgment. Are Americans suddenly sneaking into the EU or overstaying their visa free periods in Germany? I doubt it.
And finally Miles and More is a waste of a program, incredibly stingy with both miles and promotions. The Senator Lounges are ok but often crowded. I find myself gravitating more and more towards LOT - they are usually cheaper, the service is much better and Warsaw is far superior as an airport to Frankfurt.
For the time being I cant totally avoid LH or OS but I am starting to consider other options, even if it means a connection or inter-European flights.
“…and when leaving Germany they demand to see your entry stamp into the EU.”
Isn’t the stamp something they find on their own when they flip through you passport when you depart? Or are they now making departing pax do passport control’s work?
What if one refuses to do so? They keep you in Germany forever?
3 times in the last three months when departing FRA for the US the policeman manning passport control has told me they can't find my entry stamp into the EU. Honestly one has to look closely and I am not sure they do. Now I make sure to note the relevant page when they make the I can't find your stamp claim.
What happens if you can't produce an entry stamp? I don't know...
3 times in the last three months when departing FRA for the US the policeman manning passport control has told me they can't find my entry stamp into the EU. Honestly one has to look closely and I am not sure they do. Now I make sure to note the relevant page when they make the I can't find your stamp claim.
What happens if you can't produce an entry stamp? I don't know and I am
not inclined to argue with the German police as a foreigner!
I have just noticed heightened scrutiny since the beginning of the year. But strangely only at FRA. Have connected through MUC a few times from non -Schengen countries and no issues at all.
And they're giving themselves a hell of an exchange rate on the USD there!
This has been skewed for a long time in favor of Euro pricing- now more than ever. In the past when I have had the misfortune to fly Lufthansa in economy, I have been able to pay the seat fees in Euros by calling in.
Even in economy premium I have to pay 65 euro per flight segment to reserve a seat. Incredible.
Lufthansa is the biggest joke of Europe. How can such an airline still have such a loyal following. Oh and Star Alliance gold members don't get luggage on Economy Light fares either..
To be honest, Skyteam offers the most competitive product in Europe. Free seat selection upon checkin for all passengers, free drinks and snacks on KLM/Air France and a free suitcase for Elites on all fares starting from Flyingblue Silver.
Furthermore, when you...
Lufthansa is the biggest joke of Europe. How can such an airline still have such a loyal following. Oh and Star Alliance gold members don't get luggage on Economy Light fares either..
To be honest, Skyteam offers the most competitive product in Europe. Free seat selection upon checkin for all passengers, free drinks and snacks on KLM/Air France and a free suitcase for Elites on all fares starting from Flyingblue Silver.
Furthermore, when you book an award ticket as a Flyingblue Gold/Platinum for someone else, they will receive all your elite benefits (lounge access, suitcase, skypriority) even if you don't fly with them.
Hey there,
I have to correct you on one thing:
If you’re Star Alliance Gold you do get one free checked luggage, it is just not indicated inside the app or during online check in. This is stated on their website that they do accept this but you have to „claim“ this at the check in counter at the time being. I flew Eco light last week from LAX to FRA and I‘m...
Hey there,
I have to correct you on one thing:
If you’re Star Alliance Gold you do get one free checked luggage, it is just not indicated inside the app or during online check in. This is stated on their website that they do accept this but you have to „claim“ this at the check in counter at the time being. I flew Eco light last week from LAX to FRA and I‘m TAP Gold and it wasn’t a problem on either flight to just bring my luggage without any questions asked.
Hope this helps some people who aren’t aware of this - don’t book a bag! :)
https://www.lufthansa.com/de/de/economy-light-tarif
(Just above the FAQ and right below the baggage calculator.)
Any idea whether this will affect FTL/SEN/HON members as well?
Unfortunately YES
Lufthansa, leading the race to the bottom since becoming a "5-star" airline. Is that just for LH flights or will that also be the case for LX/OS flights as well?