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peterinlisbon wrote:I spoke personally to Lufthansa reservations and they told me that she should try to check in online, which she did sucessfully and which proves she does not require a transit visa
[...]
Lufthansa cannot sell tickets to connecting destinations all over the world and then refuse to allow passengers to board based on arbitrary decisions by Swissport staff that have nothing to do with the law. She had all of the documents required and yet they did not allow her to board her flight and refused to provide any justification apart from the claim that they phoned "a German man in Algeria" and he said that she couldn't board.
SomebodyInTLS wrote:in which case it's either the embassy's incompetence or a change in the requirements
peterinlisbon wrote:I can understand that they refuse you if you have the wrong documents, but if you have the right documents then how can they have the right to do that? I thought that I had bought a plane ticket, not a lottery ticket.
Finn350 wrote:peterinlisbon wrote:I can understand that they refuse you if you have the wrong documents, but if you have the right documents then how can they have the right to do that? I thought that I had bought a plane ticket, not a lottery ticket.
If the case as you present, I don't understand it. Make a complaint to Lufthansa, as they should offer an explanation why check-in was denied.
peterinlisbon wrote:Finn350 wrote:peterinlisbon wrote:I can understand that they refuse you if you have the wrong documents, but if you have the right documents then how can they have the right to do that? I thought that I had bought a plane ticket, not a lottery ticket.
If the case as you present, I don't understand it. Make a complaint to Lufthansa, as they should offer an explanation why check-in was denied.
I'm in the process of doing so. I spoke to both the reservations department and the complaints department today and they agreed with me that she didn't require a transit visa and shouldn't have been denied boarding. However, the reservations staff had no way of communicating with the Swissport staff at the airport and they said that they can't change the ticket to another date now as the Swissport staff tagged her reservation as a "no-show" despite her being there 3 hours before the flight. I got given the number of the complaints department and after half an hour of waiting whilst they checked they said were unable to do anything about it now and would have to investigate to see if I was due a refund because of their mistake.
I got the impression from speaking with them on the phone that the reservations department is in the Philippines and the complaints department is in India. Whilst the people on the phone were nice and tried to help, it also seems that none of them had the authority do anything more than submit a report or make a note in the reservation and tell me to call another number. I wrote a complaint to their customer services department and just got an automatic email in German saying my complaint has been received.
I wonder what would happen if we had flown to Brazil or Malaysia with Lufthansa and then had this problem on the way back. If we got stranded there it could cost thousands of dollars to get back on new tickets. Instead of transferring the call to someone that has authority to do something about it immediately they tell you to "send an email to customer services" without any idea of when they'll even answer, let alone do anything about it. Perhaps they should change their slogan from "Nonstop You" to "Stop You".
LGAviation wrote:peterinlisbon wrote:Finn350 wrote:
If the case as you present, I don't understand it. Make a complaint to Lufthansa, as they should offer an explanation why check-in was denied.
I'm in the process of doing so. I spoke to both the reservations department and the complaints department today and they agreed with me that she didn't require a transit visa and shouldn't have been denied boarding. However, the reservations staff had no way of communicating with the Swissport staff at the airport and they said that they can't change the ticket to another date now as the Swissport staff tagged her reservation as a "no-show" despite her being there 3 hours before the flight. I got given the number of the complaints department and after half an hour of waiting whilst they checked they said were unable to do anything about it now and would have to investigate to see if I was due a refund because of their mistake.
I got the impression from speaking with them on the phone that the reservations department is in the Philippines and the complaints department is in India. Whilst the people on the phone were nice and tried to help, it also seems that none of them had the authority do anything more than submit a report or make a note in the reservation and tell me to call another number. I wrote a complaint to their customer services department and just got an automatic email in German saying my complaint has been received.
I wonder what would happen if we had flown to Brazil or Malaysia with Lufthansa and then had this problem on the way back. If we got stranded there it could cost thousands of dollars to get back on new tickets. Instead of transferring the call to someone that has authority to do something about it immediately they tell you to "send an email to customer services" without any idea of when they'll even answer, let alone do anything about it. Perhaps they should change their slogan from "Nonstop You" to "Stop You".
I probably wouldn't even bother dealing with their departments and would have by case brought forward in German courts. You might want to factor your claim with companies like compensation2go (they're English-speaking although their website is not send them a message via Kontakt in English) or have someone like flight rights fight the case on contingency fee for you. Procedure is pretty straightforward under EU law and you could be entitled to additional compensation under Reg. 261/04. Zero risk for you and in my experience quite efficient. On the other hand, Lufthansa should come to their senses if the incident is the way you presented it and probably sooner or later will come up with something, they are generally not a bad company in terms of customer communication.
flyboy_se wrote:Did you try to ask to speak to the supervisor? Or call the customer contact number in Germany instead phone +49 900 900 922 / 933. I find their reply that Swissport has marked the ticket as no-show and that they cannot do anything about it, crazy. You bought the ticket with Lufthansa not Swissport.
A supervisor has the power to reinstate your friends ticket and waive all fees, as it was not your friends fault. Could it be that the flight was oversold?
Sometimes they try to find a vague excuse to try to stop you from flying instead of paying you denied boarding compensation.
If none of it works try social media. Nowdays it is the best way to get in touch. The airlines are eager to solve any negative feedback from their social media networks.
Hope they find a solution for your friend.
peterinlisbon wrote:flyboy_se wrote:Did you try to ask to speak to the supervisor? Or call the customer contact number in Germany instead phone +49 900 900 922 / 933. I find their reply that Swissport has marked the ticket as no-show and that they cannot do anything about it, crazy. You bought the ticket with Lufthansa not Swissport.
A supervisor has the power to reinstate your friends ticket and waive all fees, as it was not your friends fault. Could it be that the flight was oversold?
Sometimes they try to find a vague excuse to try to stop you from flying instead of paying you denied boarding compensation.
If none of it works try social media. Nowdays it is the best way to get in touch. The airlines are eager to solve any negative feedback from their social media networks.
Hope they find a solution for your friend.
You would think that a supervisor could change the ticket, but they seem powerless. I think the number you gave me probably goes through a switch to the same outsourced call centre in the Philippines or wherever it is. I was actually calling a UK number but I think that whatever country you call it goes to the same place.
peterinlisbon wrote:I got a reply from the boss of Swissport in Morocco today:
"Your friend’s boarding was refused as Germany and Lufthansa decided to block transit for Moroccan citizens on the way to Turkey, as there are direct flights available between Morocco and Turkey. It was not a Swissport decision, we have to comply with the rules decided by the airlines and by the relevant authorities...."
What I don't understand is how they can do this and just refuse to allow a passenger to use their ticket when the rules allow Transit Without Visa. The fact that direct flights are available does not mean that anyone taking a connecting flight has bad intentions. What is Lufhansa doing selling connecting flights then?
If you fly on other airlines they don't ask you at check-in "why didn't you take a direct flight, this is very suspicious" or "the UAE government has decided to block all EU citizens from flying to Hong Kong via Dubai because there are direct flights."
If Lufthansa can do this then how can anyone buy a ticket with them and have confidence that they won't just lose all of their money? It seems that they can take your money and then when you get to the airport they decide if they want to provide any service at all.
LGAviation wrote:Official position hasn't changed: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infos ... ?nn=480902 and Lufthansa most certainly cannot make up such a rule and they would be adversely affected themselves so this just gets weirder by the day.
necho1975 wrote:Hi peterinlisbon, let me share your pain with mine, almost exactly same situation happened to me, let me post it in your thread.
My fiancee is kenyan citizen, i'm a mexican citizen with us visas, etc, have been in europe, africa, etc. We were supposed to get married in panama because i have family there, etc. I bought her round trip in Lufthansa NBO-FRA-PTY, when she went to get boarding pass same history happened tan your friend. My fiancee have returning flight, hotel bookings confirmed, bank statements, 1k cash in hand, email from german embassy and from German pólice that she does´nt need transit visa.
With all this evidence inmigration authorities only told her, you are not allowed to fly because you are a high risk person to stay in germany. although she had evidence no visa are required for panama or Frankfurt, now we didn't married, lost 2k usd at her ticket, i've sent dozens of emails to Lufthansa and travel agency, etc, and money is still not refunded. it was on june 15. I did put a complaint to credit card bank and the complaint is still in process.
I don't understand how this airline sells a flight from NBO connecting in FRA , worst thing is same Lufthansa people are agree with swissport authorities. Now i had to spent one 2k for one round trip for me, i'm in kenya right now making all procedures to get married in KE, had to ask permission at my Work, and will have to buy a new ticket for her to go with me once we get the marriage certificate and the temporary resident visa here in KE.
Regards
bennett123 wrote:Peterinlisbon
On June 26, you said something about a lot of questions being asked om checking in at IST.
What was all that about.
Sounds as if they already had concerns about some aspect of the booking or her documents.
necho1975 wrote:Hi peterinlisb, just as an update, i spent 3 weeks at nairobi and married my fiancee now my wife, yesterday she received her visa for temporary residence for mexico, today she went to airport to ask if she is allowed to fly NBO-FRA-MEX and they said no, because same immigration officer said no, they suggested to search an alternative route, she explained she is joining her husband, etc....My point is, maybe being national of some countries they decide if they let you fly or not, but with a one person criteria, lufthansa says they have the right to do it but what about my refund ?
necho1975 wrote:Hi peterinlisb, just as an update, i spent 3 weeks at nairobi and married my fiancee now my wife, yesterday she received her visa for temporary residence for mexico, today she went to airport to ask if she is allowed to fly NBO-FRA-MEX and they said no, because same immigration officer said no, they suggested to search an alternative route, she explained she is joining her husband, etc....My point is, maybe being national of some countries they decide if they let you fly or not, but with a one person criteria, lufthansa says they have the right to do it but what about my refund ?