Lufthansa Owes over €3.2 Billion in Airfare Refunds Due to Flight Cancellations
Amid the ongoing global travel disruptions, Lufthansa Group is taking significant steps to speed up ticket refund processing and adapt to changing travel restrictions. The German airline group, which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines, is prioritising manual refund processes supported by new digital tools and clear policy waivers for agents.
One of the key initiatives is the Lufthansa Ticketing Waiver Policy (TWP 2509), which allows full refunds of unused tickets (excluding some fees) without fare rule penalties before departure. Travel agents can process refunds more efficiently by entering a specific waiver code ("TWP2509"). This streamlined approach maintains audit controls while accelerating refunds.
To enhance passenger adaptability, Lufthansa Group has also improved its digital offerings. The Lufthansa Group app now features a Travel ID profile that stores travel documents and personal data. This digital support provides personalised information and suggested solutions if travel plans change unexpectedly, helping travellers adapt quickly to new restrictions or flight changes.
In terms of flight plan adjustments, Lufthansa manages travel disruptions under EU regulations, offering compensation and refunds when flights are cancelled close to departure or when alternative flights are declined. The company’s policies comply with legal frameworks to provide affected passengers with appropriate refunds and possible compensation.
Lufthansa Group has also taken measures to increase its capacity in processing refunds. The company has tripled the capacity in customer centres and quadrupled it in travel agency sales. Moreover, many employees from other departments have been activated to provide support and have been released from short-time work.
As a result of these efforts, Lufthansa Group airlines have processed over 3.2 billion euros in refunds for 7.3 million customers this year. The number of outstanding ticket refunds has fallen to around 650,000 cases worth less than 300 million euros, with the number of open refund requests dynamically decreasing in the coming weeks.
In addition, Lufthansa Group offers fee-free changes for all tariffs worldwide for both short, medium, and long-haul flights for new bookings. This flexibility allows customers to flexibly adjust their travel plans with Lufthansa Group airlines.
Despite constant adjustments to flight plans due to changing travel restrictions and warnings, leading to cancellations, Lufthansa Group is committed to processing refund requests as quickly as possible. Currently, around 1,700 refund requests can be processed per hour by Lufthansa Group airlines.
In conclusion, Lufthansa Group is accelerating refund handling through manual but policy-waived refund processes for agents and enhancing passenger adaptability via digital profiles and apps that provide real-time support for changing plans due to travel restrictions.
In an effort to assist travelers during these challenging times, Lufthansa Group has implemented the Lufthansa Ticketing Waiver Policy (TWP 2509), which enables full refunds for unused tickets, and allows travel agents to process these refunds efficiently by entering the specific waiver code ("TWP2509").
To further support travelers, Lufthansa Group has improved its digital offerings, such as the Lufthansa Group app that now features a Travel ID profile, storing travel documents and personal data, which offers real-time support for changing travel plans due to restrictions or flight changes, thus fostering a more flexible lifestyle within the realm of other finance and business operations.
