Lufthansa Strike

Back to Forum
Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

  • Anonymous
    Guest

    dutchyankee
    Participant

    I was one of the many inconvenienced by the Lufthansa strike. I just received an answer from Lufthansa to my claim (having been diverted, delayed, having to overnight in Vienna, loss of business day, etc.), and wanted to ask the forum their view.

    Lufthansa will reimburse my taxis and hotel which I had to arrange for myself in Vienna as Lufthansa did nothing for me.

    My original booking in full fare business was the return flights IST-FRA-LED. I arranged via my travel agent in Russia to change my flights as I could not get through on the special phone numbers provided by LH. My TA explained the only flights LH would allow her rebook on were on OS via Vienna unless I was willing to wait until Saturday. original flights were for Thursday as I needed to be back is LED on Friday. Only option given was Thursday evening IST to VIE and then on Friday from VIE to LED, missing my entire business day in LED. No mention was given regarding a hotel in Vienna, so again, I arranged this myself.

    Now my question is, should Lufthansa not be reimbursing me for the massive delay under the EU legislation?

    LH states ‘as the strike was beyond their control,’ the EU legislation does not apply. How can they hide behind the strike being beyond their control? Personally, I feel the pilots were being spoiled brats in their strike, but that said, it was within LH’s remit to avoid the strike, so how can they claim this is beyond their control? I understand fully if weather, war, acts of God, are beyond an airlines control, and that is what I assume the legislation meant, but a management decision to not give into greedy pilots, while in my view a correct decision, as it was a conscious decision, the strike was obviously within the company’s control.

    I would love to hear others views and if any on the forum were likewise affected and what recompense they have received.

    Thanks in advance.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    I had all the same thoughts when Mrs JH and I were caught in an LH strike this time last year. Apparently strikes are exempt from EU legislation so you have probably had all the right information and there will be no more compensation.

    While on the one hand I totally agree with you that strikes should be within the control of the company if they had to compensate travellers when one occurred the trade unions would have the airlines over a barrel of unending greater demands.

    Think back to the UK coal miners!


    dutchyankee
    Participant

    Thanks JohnHarper, and your point of course is absolutely valid re: Trade Unions, it just seemed a bit rich to say something they could have negotiated their way out of is not `within their control` like bad weather or an act of God. But I fully see your point.

    Anyway, today, LH has doubled their goodwill offer to me, along with the previously mentioned payment of my hotel and taxis, so I am happy with this solution and will let it lie. I find I use the LH Group a lot more these days (OS/LX/LH) as their coverage of Russia is far superior to that of BA, so I will be trying LH again soon.

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls