A LoyaltyLobby reader despatched us a query concerning an unlucky journey with delayed baggage with Lufthansa and a canceled flight with Turkish Airways.
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The reader primarily has two circumstances; one with Lufthansa and one other with Turkish Airways.
Case 1: Delayed Baggage with Lufthansa:
State of affairs no 1: I left Buenos Aires on third March, going to Paris on a Lufthansa flight on enterprise class. Once I arrived in Paris on 4th March I used to be informed that my bag could be arriving within the following flight and they might supply it to my residence.
I’ve been ready contained in the residence, checking the telephone and mails and nobody rang. I rang limitless occasions to Clients Service, I spoke to totally different folks and the simply mentioned to be affected person, that they might ring me, they might contact me once they find the bag, all empty guarantees. I supplied myself to gather my bag however the supply man wasn’t contactable.
I left Paris on eighth March for Dubai (the place I’m now), and my bag hasn’t turned up and no person contacted me. My pal (who was in Paris with me on the time and now could be in Budapest), acquired yesterday a telephone name from the supply man saying he was exterior the residence in Paris. Now my bag is again at Charles de Gaulle, and on my final name to Lufthansa, they prompt. I ought to contact the airport myself and organize a supply to Dubai.
The reader ought to have filed one thing known as PIR (Property Irregularity Report) with Lufthansa’s floor dealing with agent on the Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport.
You possibly can then use this PIR, which might be within the type of CDGLH12345, to trace the bag’s whereabouts on IATA’s Worldtracer. Relying on what the airline permits, you could even have the ability to change the supply handle on the Worldtracer.
As I’ve identified beforehand, these delayed baggage are hardly ever on the subsequent flight and normally take 2 to three days to be unified with you in case of regular operations. You should buy garments and toiletries you want for instant wants after which declare these again from the airline.
Lufthansa normally reimburses all toiletries and private hygiene objects, however solely 50% of the garments purchases until you ship them to the airline.
I wrote final 12 months about my baggage delay compensation with Air France:
Compensation Clinic: Air France Delayed Baggage
Case 2: Cancelled Flight – Turkish Airways:
Situación quantity 2: lower than 48 hs to my flight from Paris to Dubai (which was booked on Turkish Airways with miles on enterprise class too) I had a telephone name from them saying that my flight was cancelled as a result of strike in Paris.
They might not supply me one other seat as a result of they have been all taken up till 14th March. They solely supplied me a seat on Lufthansa in financial system paying 175 usd plus 15000 miles, and I’d get a full refund of my miles and taxes in 14 working days. I solely had 10000 in my account and so it was not attainable an answer with them.
I had to purchase a final minute flight to Dubai, paying all upfront myself. Let’s not neglect I’ve been spending a fortune on toiletries and garments due to state of affairs no 1.
I haven’t began any formal demand but, aside from the conventional damaging suggestions to Lufthansa, and nothing to Turkish. What are you able to recommend I ought to do?
The case with Turkish Airways is fully separate.
Because the journey originates within the EU/EEA, the airline is REQUIRED to rebook the passengers per EC 261/2004 on the earliest alternative to their closing vacation spot.
Turkish Airways shouldn’t have relied on award availability however ought to have accommodated the reader on any airline with enterprise class availability to Dubai (primarily changing the award flight with paid one).
Sadly, airways usually lie and obfuscate what they’re obligated to do by regulation, hoping that the passengers will not be conscious of their rights.
The reader ought to file a request to Turkish Airways to reimburse for the paid ticket in financial system in money. It’s because Turkish Airways, by regulation, would have been required to pay for enterprise.
The reader could have to make use of the French EC 261/2004 nationwide enforcement physique to get Turkish Airways to pay up as a result of I’ve zero religion in them to adjust to the regulation and pay with out a combat (their customer support is non-existent).
The strike exercise in France doesn’t have an effect on Turkish Airways’ rebook duty. It merely impacts their requirement of not having to supply money compensation for the delay on account of flight cancellation.
Conclusion
Delayed baggage is commonly sophisticated as a result of it’s tough to know precisely once they flip up (these are hardly ever misplaced eternally). You must purchase the mandatory clothes and different objects.
My recommendation all the time is to purchase what you want and what you’ll in any other case purchase and declare these again from the airline and/or journey insurance coverage. It isn’t value worrying about and ruining your vacation/work journey.
Lufthansa normally pays these with out an excessive amount of of a combat, however you in all probability solely get 50% of the paid clothes or 100% if you happen to ship them again. You can even interact the German regulator if the airline is advanced.
The Turkish Airways flight cancellation and the airline’s unwillingness to adjust to EU’s EC 261/2004 regulation is extra tough.
The reader ought to file a declare with Turkish Airways for the quantity they paid for the substitute flight and discuss with EC 261/2004 of their communication with the airline. It’s inconceivable that the airline can pay this with out participating the French enforcement physique (entry right here).
I hope that the reader retains us up to date on what occurs with these two claims.