I simply had an attention-grabbing expertise involving a downgrade on a Lufthansa first-class ticket (booked utilizing miles), and figured I’d report again with what occurred. I’ve redeemed miles for Lufthansa first-class a numerous variety of occasions, however this was a primary for me…
My dad’s downgraded Lufthansa first-class ticket
On Tuesday, my dad was scheduled to fly from Boston to Munich to Frankfurt in Lufthansa first-class. I booked him the ticket utilizing Air Canada Aeroplan factors, and booked round three days earlier than departure. For what it’s price, there was additionally award availability on the nonstop Boston to Frankfurt flight in first-class. Nevertheless, I booked him the connecting itinerary for 2 causes:
Anyway, on Monday night, just below 24 hours earlier than departure, I obtained a name from a quantity in Germany (my cellphone quantity and electronic mail are on my dad’s reservation, since I deal with journey for my household). I didn’t reply, since I didn’t acknowledge the quantity. However after looking out the quantity on-line, I noticed that Lufthansa was calling.
No voicemail was left, however I figured it should contain my dad’s itinerary, because it’s the one Lufthansa journey my household has deliberate. So after pulling up the reservation on-line, I noticed what occurred — the Boston to Munich flight for that day was downgraded from an A380 to an A350, with the latter not having a firstclass cabin. In consequence, he was downgraded to enterprise class.
What you’re entitled to for a firstclass downgrade
Earlier than contacting Lufthansa, I after all spent a little bit of time researching choices, and reviewing related rules. Remember the fact that since Lufthansa is a German airline, it’s subjected to the EU261 passenger rights coverage, which additionally comprises guidelines concerning downgrades.
Underneath EU261 guidelines, you’re entitled to reimbursement of 75% of your ticket worth in the event you’re downgraded on flights of over 3,500 kilometers. As you’d anticipate, this will get a bit tough with award tickets, and will get particularly tough with associate award tickets, and I think about it could possibly be a little bit of a battle.
In fact as a substitute, you’re additionally entitled to be rebooked on the following out there flight within the class of service that you just booked. If this rebooking would result in a substantial delay in your arrival time, you’d even be entitled to delay compensation for the rebooking, which may be as much as €600.
Lufthansa additionally appears to voluntarily provide money compensation for accepting a downgrade. I learn on-line that within the occasion that you just’re downgraded from first-class on an award ticket, Lufthansa usually gives €1,050 money compensation (the airline gives bigger quantities for tickets booked with money). Now, it’s not fully clear to me whether or not that’s in lieu of the 75% reimbursement for the downgrade, or along with.
As you may see, there have been fairly just a few choices to think about…
How I dealt with this Lufthansa downgrade scenario
As tempting because it was to just accept the downgrade to enterprise class, I suggested my dad in opposition to it:
- It’s a particular journey for him, as he hasn’t traveled lengthy haul in fairly a while, and I do know he enjoys the primary class expertise
- He was positioning to Boston to make the most of this award house, and if he had wished to fly enterprise class, I might have discovered one thing straight out of Tampa on Uncover Airways
Alternatively, it might sound tempting to attempt to get Lufthansa to rebook him the next day and to get the €600 delay compensation. Nevertheless, he would’ve needed to spend an evening in Boston at his personal expense, and I additionally already had accommodations booked for him in Germany. In order that solely appeared marginally worthwhile, particularly with the present journey chaos.
For me, the query got here right down to how I may make the journey most enjoyable for him. Now, the obvious possibility was for him to be rebooked on the nonstop Boston to Frankfurt flight in first-class, since that had availability. Nevertheless, we may have booked that within the first place and selected to not, as a result of I wished him to have a bit extra enjoyable.
I figured I’d strive a special angle. Lufthansa Group owns each Lufthansa and SWISS, and through irregular operations, passengers can simply be rebooked between airways. It’s normally not attainable to redeem associate miles for SWISS first-class, so I assumed this is able to be a cool alternative for him to fly SWISS first-class, and go to the superb SWISS first-class lounges in Zurich. There was loads of availability, and it could actually’t damage to ask.
So I ultimately received in contact with Lufthansa’s first-class hotline, they usually defined the choices. They stated they might provide him €1,050 money compensation and enterprise class on the identical flight he was booked on, or they might rebook him on the nonstop Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt in first-class.
I requested the agent if my dad may as a substitute be rebooked on SWISS in first-class via Zurich. I didn’t present a purpose (although I used to be making an attempt to give you one, aside from “he’s trying to have some enjoyable”). To my shock, the agent didn’t hesitate in any respect, and stated that wouldn’t be an issue.
She proposed an itinerary with a roughly one hour layover, and I requested if a layover of 5 hours was attainable as a substitute. She gladly rebooked him on no matter flights he wished, and moments later, I had the up to date affirmation.
For the previous many hours, I’ve fairly been having fun with the stay journey report through textual content message! And to assume that my dad didn’t know the way to use a cellphone till a number of years in the past…
Backside line
I handled a Lufthansa first-class downgrade for the primary time. I redeemed miles for my dad to fly Lufthansa first-class, however the plane was downgraded on the final minute to 1 with out first-class. It was attention-grabbing to undergo this course of and see the choices firsthand, as this was the primary time I’ve confronted one thing like this, in all my years of continuously flying Lufthansa first-class.
I’m unsure there was a proper or improper method right here, however I’d say flying SWISS first-class throughout the Atlantic with Aeroplan factors is a reasonably cool alternative.
How would you’ve dealt with this Lufthansa first-class downgrade scenario?
