PSA: Lufthansa sucks if you're skiing

**goldenboy** · 03-11-2019, 01:42 PM

Just an FYI, Lufthansa has a direct flight from Denver to Munich which is pretty sweet if you're going to Europe. What isn't sweet is being charged 250 Euros each direction for the ski bag. As far as I can tell, that isn't the case with most other carriers...

**CascadeLuke** · 03-11-2019, 01:51 PM

What? It seems 1 sports bag allowed as free check on when I read details before booking. Have a flight Friday with them.
Neat.

**goldenboy** · 03-11-2019, 01:58 PM

Yeah, nice little surprise. We did have 2 bags each, maybe you'll luck out. The clerk heading out took mercy on us and only charged 100 as a generic second bag. https://www.lufthansa.com/ae/en/flat...sports-baggage

**snowtastic** · 03-11-2019, 04:28 PM

Yeah, as far as I understand they have changed their 2nd luggage fees if the bag is sports baggage. It used to be 100€ for the extra bag, now that’s only true for regular luggage, not ski bags which are much more.
I fly LH and substitute my douchebag for my regular checked suitcase at no charge. Boots and helmet go on my backpack.

**Dee Hubbs** · 03-11-2019, 05:37 PM

Read the rules before you book. I fly Luf with skis without charges all the time.
Lufthansa states that sports baggage can be counted as your free baggage, as long as the number of items and the weight do not exceed the free baggage allowance.
What was your baggage allowance? If it was only one bag, then your'e paying for a second bag, and if you paying for a oversize sports bag it gets expensive.
Also you need to book your sporting bags ahead of time. A minimum of 24 hrs before departure.

**CascadeLuke** · 03-11-2019, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Dee Hubbs

Read the rules before you book. I fly Luf with skis without charges all the time.
Lufthansa states that sports baggage can be counted as your free baggage, as long as the number of items and the weight do not exceed the free baggage allowance.
What was your baggage allowance? If it was only one bag, then your'e paying for a second bag, and if you paying for a oversize sports bag it gets expensive.
Also you need to book your sporting bags ahead of time. A minimum of 24 hrs before departure.

This is along the lines of my understanding until this thread. I’m only checking the ski bag and carrying boots & ski pack on. Am I good?
Made calls to clear up myself but after a ridiculous hold with Expedia and then Luf - was told by Luf to call during German customer service hours. FM

**hafjell** · 03-11-2019, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by CascadeLuke

This is along the lines of my understanding until this thread. I’m only checking the ski bag and carrying boots & ski pack on. Am I good?
Made calls to clear up myself but after a ridiculous hold with Expedia and then Luf - was told by Luf to call during German customer service hours. FM

You should be fine. Is your ski bag less than 50 pounds packed? Also, I’ve never delivered my ski bag 24 hours early. I do get to the airport 3 hours ahead of departures and the check in folks are very relaxed at that point. No lines.
Munich direct for win.

**Dee Hubbs** · 03-12-2019, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by hafjell

You should be fine. Is your ski bag less than 50 pounds packed? Also, I’ve never delivered my ski bag 24 hours early. I do get to the airport 3 hours ahead of departures and the check in folks are very relaxed at that point. No lines.
Munich direct for win.

You have to go online and indicate (aka book) you have a ski bag 24hrs ahead of time.
If you don’t you run the risk that they can say they don’t have the room for your oversized piece, and they have the right to charge you for your oversized bag.

**goldenboy** · 03-12-2019, 07:42 AM

The person at the counter kept staring at her sheet of paper, muttering "this can't be right, there are new prices". Then she called in her boss and they stared at it for another 10 minutes. Then they said sorry, here's the new pricing. So if you haven't flown recently, you might be surprised. yes, it was a second bag. No it was not overweight.

**CascadeLuke** · 03-12-2019, 09:20 AM

Got thru to my carrier Condor-> connecting to Luf. [I thought the two carriers were still paired but apparently no longer]. Word I got was if over 158 cm long you are subject to fee. Fee varies between Condor and Luf but Condor said it will be $75 if it’s your only checked bag - Lufs fees are potential higher the agent said and capped at $200US under a partner agreement but he couldn’t make specific claims for them.

I did get the bags registered properly and appreciate the contributions here. I’m going to charm the shit out of the counter person. Any ideas of a nice little low profile bribe gift?

Edit: who has skis smaller than 158cm btw? Garbage.

**Dee Hubbs** · 03-12-2019, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by CascadeLuke

. Any ideas of a nice little low profile bribe gift?

Starbucks/coffee gift card. I just leave it on the counter with them and say "thank you for anything you can do".
My status allows me 3 bags at 71 lbs, so I don't have any issues, and I alway book directly through the airline to avoid any hidden fees or baggage limitations.

**snowtastic** · 03-12-2019, 09:53 AM

If the LH flight is a codeshare with United, try booking with them because they have cheaper 2nd bag fees than Lufthansa.
But if you’re only checking in your ski bag which is under 50lbs and nothing else, there rarely are fees.

**El Chupacabra** · 03-12-2019, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by snowtastic

If the LH flight is a codeshare with United, try booking with them because they have cheaper 2nd bag fees than Lufthansa.

FWIW, the first carrier's baggage policy controls for a codeshare flight. In other words, if you book a flight where the first plane you board is a Lufthansa plane, you are subject to Lufthansa baggage policy whether you booked on Lufthansa or United or any other partner.

If you book a flight that starts on United metal, then transfer to Lufthansa, all on the same ticketed itinerary, United's baggage policy controls until you reach the terminus of that flight.

**Magic Carpet** · 03-12-2019, 01:11 PM

If you book United but fly LH, your check-in is with LH and LH rules apply.

**snowtastic** · 03-12-2019, 01:26 PM

Oh, I didn’t know that. Thanks for clearing this up!

**hafjell** · 03-12-2019, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Dee Hubbs

You have to go online and indicate (aka book) you have a ski bag 24hrs ahead of time.
If you don’t you run the risk that they can say they don’t have the room for your oversized piece, and they have the right to charge you for your oversized bag.

Good advice. Must’ve been lucky or reserved the ski bag and forgot that I did so.
Just flew LH Bos > MUC for the most hassle free trip of my life. I stand by direct to Europe as the gold standard but recognize mechanicals and weather dictate a lot of aviation success.

**CascadeLuke** · 03-12-2019, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Dee Hubbs

Starbucks/coffee gift card. I just leave it on the counter with them and say "thank you for anything you can do".
My status allows me 3 bags at 71 lbs, so I don't have any issues, and I alway book directly through the airline to avoid any hidden fees or baggage limitations.

This is what I was thinking except wondered for the Zurich to Frank return - they have Starbucks in ZRH?

**Dee Hubbs** · 03-12-2019, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by CascadeLuke

This is what I was thinking except wondered for the Zurich to Frank return - they have Starbucks in ZRH?

Actually there are 4 of them. 2 are on the outside of security, which is what matters to the baggage/check in agent.

**CascadeLuke** · 03-15-2019, 06:44 PM

As my only checked bag I got dinged $160 for skis on Condor —> Luf out of US. Add $20 for a sbux card that didn’t net any gain and it’s not the best way to start a trip. [emoji1596]Condor

Agent tried a little but said can’t override system anymore

**Blurred** · 03-24-2019, 04:11 AM

Sitting on the plane in Lyon, FR for return trip. Flew United here, no issue, had exact same experience as Goldenboy an hour ago. Lufthansa blows.

sb · 03-24-2019, 07:11 AM

Blurred! What up?

**snowtastic** · 03-24-2019, 08:23 AM

I flew from FRA to San Francisco last week with Lufthansa / United codeshare. Called beforehand and notified them of my ski bag. Checked a douchebag (50lbs) as my only bag - no charge. Took my backpack and boot pack on the plane. (I don’t have any status and flew regular economy, not flex or something).
FWIW they said it would be the same on my return flight, will keep you updated.

**old goat** · 03-24-2019, 03:35 PM

The baggage rules that apply are not those of the first carrier. They are the rules of the carrier of the longest flight. So you fly cross country with united, then to Europe on Lufthansa, Lufthansas rules apply. So United can't charge you to check one bag if it's free on the Lufthansa leg. (This assumes you booked the flights as one reservation.) OTOH, if you check 2 bags, the fee is what Lufthansa charges for the second.

Lufthansa's rules about sports baggage are unclear. Lufthansa says "Sports baggage can be counted as your free baggage as long as the number of items and the weight do not exceed the free baggage allowance stipulated for your travel class." Does this mean you can call the sports baggage your first bag--free, with the standard second bag fee for the second piece, or does it mean Lufthansa gets to call the other bag your first piece and charge up the wazoo for the skis? Sounds deliberately vague to me--trying to hide the fact that they're overcharging for skis so that you don't get the bad news until you try to board, rather than when you book. Lufthansa does consider skis, boot bag, and helmet as one bag, like other airlines.

If you get a huge fee for skis I would file a complaint with the Dept of Transportation and say that your skis were your first bag and should have been free. I have had good luck with the DOT in the past. Likewise, if your short haul carrier charges you their fee which is more than the long haul fee I would definitely file a complaint. Airlines I found out have someone whose job it is to deal with DOT complaints and they are definitely more responsive than the general customer service, once they have received a complaint.

**snowtastic** · 04-15-2019, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by old goat

Does this mean you can call the sports baggage your first bag--free, with the standard second bag fee for the second piece, or does it mean Lufthansa gets to call the other bag your first piece and charge up the wazoo for the skis? Sounds deliberately vague to me

I flew from the US to Europe and had this happen to me (sort of):
I just had my ski bag that was free on my way there. My wife had 2 regular bags and wanted to pay for her second one. The Lufthansa clerk at the airport checked us both in and then said: The computer system automatically says that I need to pay for 1 excess 50lbs ski bag and he could not change that. Since a ski bag is much more expensive than my wife’s regular one, we protested and after 30 minutes he finally had someone on the phone manually lower the price for my ski bag to that of a regular bag, since they still could not change which bag was essentially mine and which weren’t.
Next time, we’ll check in separately and see if that works better.