Be aware: Lufthansa is quick to sell tickets but slow, unable or unwilling to refund customers when they are unable to provide the agreed service. Lufthansa booking code: WD6XOZ; Lufthansa FB ID: ***9

Be aware: Lufthansa is quick to sell tickets but slow, unable or unwilling to refund customers when they are unable to provide the agreed service. Lufthansa booking code: WD6XOZ; Lufthansa FB ID: ***9 I wrote to the Lufthansa Customer Relations office at *** on 25 March 2020 and stated: “South Africa, where we stay, will be in total lockdown from Thursday 26 March at midnight due to Covid-19. The rest of the world, including Italy, Slovenia and Croatia (which we intended to visit) have restrictions in place which prevent free movement, visiting sites, travelling and entry into/exit from countries. Even if one is allowed to enter Croatia for example, one may contract Covid 19 and will then not be allowed to leave the country where you fall ill to return to your own country. People are dying by the thousands. The world Health Organisation says it may take another year or even longer before vaccines will be available.

I have considered to delay our holiday, but at this stage no-one is able to provide any indication how long this situation will prevail. There is too much uncer*****y and all indications are that the world will go into economic recession. People may lose their jobs. It is difficult to predict how we will be impacted by these developments.

I am left with no other choice than to ask you to please refund me in full, due to this extraordinary worldwide situation which none of us could have predicted when the arrangements were made. I would have loved to make use of your services as planned, but it became clear to me over the past week that we will not be allowed by governments to proceed with our plans. I am quite sure you cannot provide me with a date during which we will be guaranteed that we can visit Italy as tourists and it is an open question whether the service providers will, after this, still be in business or even alive.

I followed up on this email on 12 June and got a response on 13 June indicating that they have followed up with their refunds department and once they have processed the amount it will be directly send to the original form of payment. I followed up on 2 July, 23 July and 10 August to no avail. All I can think is that the airline may have financial difficulties to refund their clients. I think future passengers of Lufthansa need to be aware of the fact that Lufthansa has no problem to insist to be paid for a ticket without delay, but they are unfortunately not returning the favour to their clients in instances where they did not provide the service on the date that was booked.