How to lose your $1000 with Lufthansa

Russian version of this post is here: http://blog.malyshev.com/?p=1316

It's simpler that you can imagine. All you need is just purchase Lufthansa business class ticket (fully refundable of course) and use their online booking system to make some changes. Some day I found that Lufthansa has cheap business class tickets from Prague to Moscow. The ticket cost is only $1000. I decided to try it. I went to lufthansa.com and purchased ticket to class Z. Tickets of this class are fully refundable and flexible. 

Then I decided to change my departure date. I went to Lufthansa booking system and found the "magic" Rebook button. By this button we can change dates and flights. I rebooked my flight from Prague to Moscow to another date. Of course every step of rebooking displayed "Business class". After rebooking I received E-Mail from Lufthansa and found that online system rebooked my flight to economy class! It's 100% system fault. I entered in my booking again and tried to fix it. No way to restore the business class! System allows to change dates again and still offers economy class. 

I decided to cancel my booking completely. Online booking system also allows it. Canceled and waiting my money. Nothing came to my account in two weeks. I called Lufthansa service center in Russia. Girl with Ukrainian accent told me that Lufthansa has my money and refund will not be done. If booking has at least one economy class segment — you lose all! She tried to call another Lufthansa employees — it was useless. Every Lufthansa employee thinks that I intentionally changed my booking to economy class. Nobody believes that it was system fault.

I sent a message to Lufthansa hotline. Still waiting an answer.

Right now I consider Lufthansa to cheaters and thieves. Never expected such situation.

If somebody from Lufthansa reads this text, here is the booking number: 4PAJBD

Update 14.08.2012: Lufthansa answered in Facebook: 

Dear Andy, I have checked your case with my colleagues from General Reservations which you also have already contacted. Unfortunately there is nothing they or we can do. If you would like to forward your matter to Customer Relations you can do so here: www.lufthansa.com/feedback-en They will get back to you. /Vanessa

Update 15.08.2012: Lufthansa answered to my complaint:

Thank you for your comments on our website dated 7 and 13 August.

It is to our regret that the rebooking of your journey from Prague to Moscow on 4 August and return on 11 August did not run smoothly and that the refund did not meet your expectations. We can fully understand your disappointment in this situation and apologise for the inconvenience this caused you.

In order to handle your claim and offer you a detailed reply we need some internal information. This is already requested. As soon as we receive this information we will contact you again.

Thank you for your patience.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen/ Yours sincerely,
Sara Fiedler

Lufthansa German Airlines
Customer Feedback 

Update 7.11.2012: My $1000 successfully returned. 3 months of investigations and decision making…

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