Compensation paid to wrong bank account by Lufthansa

kathtrc

Hi, 
Dept Jan 16th 2024
Booked Lufthansa
Heathrow - Munich - Economy leaving 20.30 approx from Heathrow
Munich - Singapore - Premium Economy

10.30 am 16th Jan 2024 - text from Lufthansa to say Munich - Singapore flight cancelled use Chatbot to rebook.. 
Chatbot not working, nom phone number so no other way to sort it out other than at Heathrow.

Found Lufthansa rep at Heathrow, he said there was an alternative flight with their partner airline Singapore Airlines. Before I could say yes or no to this the rep booked my son and myself on these flights.
When I asked him were we in Premium Economy as booked and were we sitting together - as booked, he replied he couldn't see or help me as it was now with a different airline and I would have to manage my booking through them. 
This was NOT easy but after an hour of trying I got through to Singapore Airlines only to have to pay a further £890 to upgrade BACK to Premium Economy as the re- book made by Lufthansa had been for Economy. 
After returning home 31st of Jan, on 5th Feb 24 I asked for compensation for the seats I had paid for on the two flights I did not travel on and for compensation for being downgraded to Economy and having to pay £890 to re-instate this level of travel. 

15th Feb 24 I started getting emails saying that my money had been refunded and to check my bank account.. The only payment I made for this trip (apart for paying for the re-uprade with Singapore Airlines) was by Visa credit card when I booked through Booking.com

Over 5 months later in July 24 after me repeatedly saying I had not had the money (around 13 emails) and asking for the Bank Account numbers and details so I could verify where they had paid my refund, they sent me two  redacted account numbers with the middle 8 figures blocked but enough for me to see that neither of these accounts were mine.
They said on 15th Feb  they had paid 36 Euros and 68 Euros ( my seat booking fees) to these two different accounts/cards.

“We would like to inform you that we have already refunded 220**********59 amount EUR36 on February 15, 2024 and 220***********61 EUR68 on February 15, 2024.”


I kept saying I had not received this money and these were not my accounts and they said get in touch with my travel agent. 

I then got in touch with Booking.com and they had no record of any refund. 

I contacted Lufthansa again and they said they could do no more and here was the address of their solicitors for arbitration

In other words they had now washed their hands of me and I now had to go to arbitration to not only get the refund they had already agreed but paid to two random bank accounts, but also fight for compensation for being downgraded to economy. 

In Sept I contacted Booking.com about this. They said I definitely should have compensation for the downgrading and that they would contact Lufthansa on my behalf. 

I have contacted Booking.com twice since the last time being Dec 13th 24 and according to them Lufthansa have not even replied to their emails, let alone offered any help in this matter.

So my questions are these
What is the best next step to take to get the compensation they HAVE agreed on but paid to someone else, and am I due compensation for the downgrading of my seating?

I have emailed Jens Ritter (CEO Lufthansa) direct asking for confirmation of receipt of my email to him and help getting my compensation with me asking for a reply by 16th Jan - the year anniversary of the start of this debacle.
Not received anything and honestly don't think I will hence my question here.
Thanks

Kath

saajan_12

When did the Singapore Airlines flight land vs when the original Lufthansa flight was supposed to? 

It sounds to me like you have a much bigger claim for 
(a) the upgrade fees and 
(b) the delay compensation if applicable

Those would be orders of magnitude larger than the EUR 104 they say they have refunded. While I'd want to track down that piece as well, if it were me I'd push for the larger amount first. 

kathtrc

Hi, 
The Singapore airline flight was direct Heathrow - Singapore
The cancelled flight was Munich - Singapore, we had a short Heathrow - Munich flight in the original booking but they cancelled our seats on that when they moved us to the direct flight Heathrow - Singapore. 
There was no delay.

Have you any advice on how to get to Lufthansa to consider my search for the "mislaid" refund and the downgrade comp when they won't answer my emails other than to say go to arbitration?? Is that who I should now contact?

eskbanker

I suspect that the small seating refunds went to a Booking.com account if that's who you booked through, so you'll probably need to recover these from them, despite their denial.

If you're not getting anywhere with Lufthansa with the main claim after a year then it seems pointless to continue so escalate to the German arbitration service, SOP.