Germany is often lauded for its engineering prowess and technological innovation, with companies like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Adidas, and Siemens standing as towering examples. However, Lufthansa seems to stand in stark contrast, a blemish on the otherwise sterling reputation of German excellence. This airline, rather embarrassingly, represents the very definition of ‘dis-excellence’ —a tale of shoddy service and irresponsibility that left my wife and I utterly disappointed.
We were travelling by Lufthansa, flying from Mumbai to Nice via Munich. With over an hour between our connecting flights, one would reasonably assume that the German precision we’ve come to expect would ensure a seamless transfer of our luggage. Yet, upon arrival in Nice, only two of our three bags arrived. After filling in numerous forms at the airport, two bags were delivered by 7 pm. The missing third bag, which contained a pair of shoes, a shawl, and a handbag, arrived the next day —also at 7 pm. How is it that all three bags, checked in together from Mumbai, didn’t make it to their final destination at the same time? The mystery remains unsolved, much like the frustration it caused.
Our return journey from Nice to Munich was an equally unpleasant experience. Though the flight landed on time, we were left waiting for wheelchair assistance that never came. Watching precious minutes slip by, I approached the service provider, only to be met with a shrug and a dismissive response—someone would come eventually, they said. That ‘someone’ never appeared, and as a result we missed our connecting flight. Lufthansa, ever eager to absolve itself of responsibility, blamed another company for the debacle.
After missing our flight, we were directed to wait for ticket re-arrangements. That wait, starting from 9. 45am, stretched on until 1 pm before someone finally arrived to escort us to the Lufthansa booking office, where our tickets were rebooked for the following day. To add insult to injury, although the airline provided accommodation at the Hilton Hotel adjacent to the terminal, the promised transfer took an unbelievable four hours. From 9. 30 am to 5. 30pm, we languished at the airport, making call after call to no avail. Eventually, at 6 pm, we were finally taken to the hotel. The hotel staff, while courteous, provided us with dinner vouchers worth a paltry €20 each. Anything above that? Out of our own pockets, naturally. Even more surprising was the lack of basic toiletries at the Hilton—hardly the standard one would expect from such an establishment.
The in-flight service left much to be desired. Staffed by attendants well past their prime, the service was lacklustre at best. Despite asking twice for a Coke with lime and ice, my request went unanswered. When I went to the service area myself to ask for coffee, I was handed a mug, a sachet of milk, and a single Oreo biscuit on a tissue. It felt as though I’d stepped into a Dickensian scene, where I, like Oliver Twist, was left to ask, “Please ma’ m, may I have some more?”
Lufthansa’s treatment of senior travellers, particularly those in transit through Frankfurt or Munich, is nothing short of appalling. Many older passengers from India, the US, and Canada require wheelchair assistance, and yet, upon landing, they are met with indifference. A Lufthansa employee, holding a wheelchair sign, routinely asks passengers if they can walk ‘a little.’ If the answer is yes, they are unceremoniously instructed to wait in a designated area—often with insufficient seating and no one to provide clear information. Occasionally, a golf cart will arrive to transport a few passengers to their gates, leaving others to jostle for a seat, while more and more people are added to the crowd. It is distressing to witness elderly passengers being treated so callously, left standing for hours with no guidance or assistance.
The so-called ‘mobility service providers’ have failed spectacularly, with nearly 40% of transit passengers reportedly missing their flights due to staff shortages. Yet, Lufthansa personnel continue to shirk responsibility, insisting it is not their fault. But the fact remains that when passengers pay Lufthansa, they expect the airline to ensure their journey is smooth and hassle-free. Lufthansa cannot simply wash its hands of the issue because they’ve outsourced these services. The complacency of the staff is alarming—it is almost accepted as a norm that passengers will miss their connections, and no one at Lufthansa seems to care.
In conclusion, my advice is simple: avoid Lufthansa at all costs unless the airline significantly improves its services. It is well-known within Lufthansa that passengers routinely miss their flights due to the unavailability of service providers, and yet the airline’s indifference to this ongoing issue is deeply troubling. This disregard for older passengers and the inconvenience caused to their families waiting at the other end of the journey is unacceptable.
