My experience with Lufthansa started on the 29th of July, 2007, when I flew from Paris (CDG) to London (LHR) with a two and a half hour layover in Frankfurt (FRA). When I arrived in London, my checked bag was missing. I was informed that they knew where it was in Frankfurt and that it would be delivered to me that evening or the morning of the 30th at the latest. I was satisfied with this and gave them the forwarding address for that evening or the next morning, which was in Cambridge. I also informed the agent that my bag contained medications that I could not easily replace and that I would not be in Cambridge after approximately noon on the 30th. I also gave them my mobile phone number in writing so that they would be able to contact me if the delivery became delayed further.
Because I was informed that I needed to be at the address I gave them when my bag arrived, I stayed in that evening and the next morning, but my luggage did not arrive on the 30th, nor was I contacted in any way. I called Lufthansa around noon to let them know that I was traveling to Oxford and gave them my address there as well as an alternate phone number there. The agent to whom I spoke over the phone, somewhat surprised, informed me that my baggage had not even been located yet but that it would be delivered that evening or the following morning at the latest and that I should wait for it. I again complied with this and stayed in, but again I was not contacted in any way and did not receive my bag.
On the 31st I called Lufthansa again requesting information regarding the delivery. They informed me that the delivery company had picked up the bag but that neither they nor I could not contact them directly. Instead I had to text message them. I did this, asking for the delivery time of my bag and received no response. Eventually, I gave up on the bag ever arriving in Oxford and called Lufthansa (around 14:00) to inform them that the additional mobile that I had given them and the Oxford address would no longer be valid. I gave them the address of the place I was staying for the rest of my trip in London and arranged with the apartments at which I was staying to retrieve the bag, even if I were not there.
The first of August I still did not have my bag, and I began calling Lufthansa twice a day inquiring about it. Every time I called I was informed that it should be there that evening or the next morning at the very latest. At this point, I had been wearing the same shirt, socks, and shoes for three days. My feet were blistered from walking in shoes that were meant for an airplane without a change of socks, and I was forced to cancel reservations that I had made in advance because I did not have appropriate attire. My medications were still missing, and Lufthansa was aware of all of this. Additionally, my friend with whom I had stayed in Cambridge had text-messaged me to inform me that someone had attempted to deliver my luggage to his address, not the corrected address that I had given Lufthansa previously. I asked Lufthansa to confirm my mobile phone number and discovered that they had it wrong. I corrected it and asked them to repeat my delivery address, which they at least had right; though the delivery company apparently did not.
August 2nd saw more of the same story. I called Lufthansa in the morning, from a pay phone at this point because my mobile had finally died (the charger was in my luggage), asking about my bag and discovered that they still had the incorrect mobile phone number listed for me. I corrected this again and was promised that my bag would arrive that afternoon. The bag did not arrive so I called again, informing them that I would be leaving London the following day. They promised me a delivery time of 16:00. At 16:30 I called them back, furious, asking where my bag was and demanding for the fourth time to speak with a supervisor. They told me that it would be delivered by 17:00 at the latest. At 17:00 the bag was still not delivered so I called back and demanded to speak to a supervisor again. I was told to call back in 15 minutes, which I did, and spoke to the supervisor who promised my bag by 18:00, or, failing that, to have it at the airport the following morning for me. The same supervisor refused to allow me to speak to the delivery company or to transfer me to anyone else in the company who would be able to speak to the delivery company. The refused even to give me another contact number for the rest of Lufthansa. Of course, the bag never came.
At the airport the following morning, the bag had not been delivered. According to my file, the delivery was still to be at Cambridge. In order to retreive my bag I was forced to take a later flight while the Lufthansa agents at the airport worked out the situation. The informed me that my file had not been updated and that my mobile phone number was still incorrectly listed. They additionally explained that the number I had been given was for a call center in Dublin with which they had had many problems recently. In fact, the delivery company still had the Cambridge address listed as my delivery destination and had tried again the previous afternoon to deliver my luggage there. The agents at the gate promptly called the delivery company, something I had been told was impossible, and asked them to deliver the bag to the airport, which Lufthansa had failed to do once already. I was not compensated for the miserable experience at this time in any way, not even by being bumped to first class, save that the agents gave me a five pound note to spend on coffee in the airport while I waited for my new flight.
During my time in London, after repeated failures on Lufthansa's part to deliver my bag, I was furious and miserable. I had been forced eventually to buy a pair of jeans, a shirt, some shoes, socks, medications, and toiletries, though I held out because the agents to whom I spoke on the phone continuously told me that my bag would arrive any minute. I missed countless opportunities because I lacked my clothes, the details of many carefully laid plans, and prepurchased tickets, all of which were in my bag. I was forced to spend considerably on international calls from my mobile then on calls from pay phones. Lufthansa's constant deception and carelessness made me utterly unable to enjoy myself for being so frustrated and powerless.
I sent four electronic complaints to Lufthansa regarding the incident and still have the reference numbers for these along with emails acknowledging their receipt. Lufthansa's website promised a 28 day minimum for responses to these messages, but I have never received a response to any of them.
After several months of waiting for these responses I ran out of patience and wrote a formal letter to Lufthansa detailing the entire ordeal, including amount I was forced to spend on their behalf, and requested reimbursement for my costs as well as the flight. I received a response shortly after, which I believe to be a form letter, reimbursing me for approximately half of the costs I had incurred. I wrote again stating that this was unacceptable and that I required a full reimbursement. Their next response was dismissive and, curiously, implied that they could not do this because of international treaties. This is a blatant false, as the Montreal treaty to which Lufthansa adheres, establishes only a minimum for the reimbursement of costs in the case of lost or delayed luggage. I am not convinced, based on the letters that I have received, that anyone at Lufthansa has even read my complaints or considered my case individually. Like when I dealt with them in London, their approach has consisted of misinformation and neglect.
Regarding Lufthansa, I have reached the end of my patience and am resorting now to publicizing the treatment that I have endured. It is my hope that nobody have the displeasure of dealing with Lufthansa's miserable customer service again.