In our series Compensation Clinic we’re featuring a case today that I helped a friend with while he was already at the airport (actually on the plane) flying from Berlin via Zurich to Shanghai on SWISS in First Class.
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In this case, my friend traveled on one of the Lufthansa Mileage Bargains between Shanghai and Berlin, which he also upgraded both ways for ~ 800 Euro cash via an online upgrade offer during the check-in.
On the way from PVG to Zurich and onward everything went smooth although on the same day at the check-in counter there was a notice that Lufthansa had to downgrade all their First Class passengers due to an equiment swap to an aircraft without First. This didn’t affect him however.
The real issue came on the return flight when he was already check-in and had boarded the plane. Already being delayed the SWISS aircraft then went tech and the flight was eventually cancelled.’
The chatbot could help with an adequate rebooking, only offering options to rebook into Austrian Airlines Business Class the same day.
Ground staff in Berlin even offered him a rebooking to Air China in Business:
Finally the Swiss Senator hotline was able to help as I found one last seat on Lufthansa First Class via Frankfurt and I remembered that he mentioned a few months ago he’d like to experience the First Class Terminal again. The rebooking was completed and he quickly went to the adjacent gate where the new flight from Berlin to Frankfurt left 20 minutes later.
After a quick 2-hour stop in Frankfurt he was off to Shanghai Pudong:
I told him despite the rebooking, he still has rights to compensation under EC261. Although the delay wasn’t for the full four hours, he’d still be entitled to 50% of the 600 EUR.
This can easily be filed online:
SWISS processed this claim and promptly offered the due compensation of either cash or a 400 EUR travel voucher:
Of course, he chose the cash. I suggested filing an additional complaint as the baggage still didn’t arrive until three days later.
The SWISS Premium Customer Care team then offered an additional 300 Euro travel voucher. Overall, this was proper compensation and still a well-rounded travel experience.
What was really nice: The rebooking was placed into full fare ticket class J/F and he earned full mileage on this. I suggested crediting it to another program (Aegean) so the miles won’t be withdrawn later when crediting to M&M, which is always a risk.
Conclusion
The passenger in this case experienced irregular operations on SWISS and had to be rebooked to Lufthansa on the last minute as his feeder flight to Zurich went tech and he would have missed his connection. With a few bumps, the rebooking was completed.
SWISS also compensated him according to EC261 regulation and offered an additional 300 EUR travel voucher when pressed.
I’m really puzzled by why the ground staff in Berlin wouldn’t offer the connection in Lufthansa First directly, even when pointed to it. He was confirmed in First Class and, therefore, has to be rebooked in the same class of service.
