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I was booked as followed in different PNR:
LH 5051 C ZRH - 0700 FRA - 0815 paper ticket
LH 454 F FRA - 0955 SFO - 0955 E-tix
I took the first train from Hauptbanhof to ZRH. Went to Check-In Area 1, and headed to the check-in counter for First Class - Senator.
I told gave the lady my tickets and itineraries, as well as my passport, US visa, Canadian residence card, and SEN card. She saw that I was booked for C to FRA. She was so persistent that I should check-in at Business Class counter. I mentioned again to her that I would be in F from FRA to SFO. She said it's not relevant. Of course I had to mention that I did the same about two months ago. Then she said these section is only for First Class, Senator and StarAlliance Gold. And she asked whether I have any Gold status.
Of course, I told her that I am LH SEN. Well, I guess she did not look up my booking properly.
She checked me in up to FRA only which understandable. I mean I have experienced this before. But, she did not want to check-through my luggage. So it was tagged only up to FRA. Of course I told her that it won't work because I don't have Schengen visa. Thus I would not be able to go to baggage claim in FRA.
Then she started to tell me that my paper tix is not correct. The date on the tix is not the same as the booking. She said I had to go to LH office. She has worked for so many years that she knows the rules. I told her that I did the date change through LH SEN reservation in the US and was told no need to go to tix office for sticker. She said that's not right because she would not know whether my tix can be changed or I have to pay penalty. I argued that LH SEN agent in the US should have known that my tix is changeable and no penalty, since I was not advised otherwise.
Anyhow, she was able to tag my bag as check-through. Thus no need to pick up the bag in FRA. Then she told me to get my BP for my LH FRA-SFO at FRA transfer desk since she can not do anything. I mention to her that from my experience, the transfer desk is always very busy early morning that even flying C or F would be a pretty long line. And I said last time when I was in ZRH, the agent took care of this across the hall which is now under renovation. Then she remembers something. Yes, I can go to LH ticket office which now has a temporary office outside the entrance near the curb.
After saying thank you for the help, I went outside to the curb, and found the door for LX and LX ticket office, which open at 545. Waiting for about 15 minutes, and I was helped by an LH staff.
Well, the guy could not issue my BP for FRA-SFO. When he put the red BP in the printer, it would come out blank. He tried and tried, and failed. He made a call, and still did not work. At last he asked his colleague and she told him to call somewhere. He made another call, and after a long time, my BP was printed. He told me that it's related to my bag tag which somehow it's not in the system. He called LX, and he informed me that I should check with the gate agent in FRA before boarding.
Took the flight.
Arriving in FRA, as usual, the aircraft was parked far away. The bus took me to Terminal B. To my surprise, this time my gate is A65. Took the train to Terminal A, and noticed something different. Well, it seems many US destinations depart from Terminal A. So, there was a special security area for US bound, which surprisingly was pretty quick. When departing from the Gate B 24-29, there would be the passport and visa checkers. But in Terminal A, this check is done at the gate.
I went to Gate A65, and lined up for the gate agent check-in. I noticed couple UA 1K flyers who tried to upgrade at the counter. Then when my turn, I told the agent to check my bag tag in the computer. She told me she could not check it because they were in the process of loading bags. Thus no info would be close to accurate enough. She suggested to me to wait at FCL, but I told her I could not go because it's in Schengen area, and I don't have visa. In addition, it's about 75 minutes prior to departure.
Okay, there are three temporary counter for document checking. Right hand side, the sign was clearly First Class and Business. I went to this line, since I had red BP. But I could not understand why the line was pretty long. An LH staff came to check my BP, and I gave it to him. He said I should stay in line. 10 minutes passed. My line was not moving (or moved by 1 or 2 persons). The left hand side line was longer, which I assumed for economy. But then I noticed that all pax in front of me were Y BPs. I did not say anything. But then, the LH guy started to pull let *G pax in the middle desk. When the guy was nearby me, I asked him politely and nicely why *G pax could move ahead in the middle desk. And he asked my BP again. He said my BP is incomplete. Thus I have to line up to get my passport and visa info entered in the computer. (Now I remembered my old BP always had API on top)
Here is the problem. He saw me with red BP. He rolled his eyes when talked to me. (I am not going into this, because I don't want to touch the race issue problem) If I were him, seeing an F pax stucked behind so many Y pax lining up in the First Class and Business Class desk, he should do something. But no, he did not do anything. Just let me wait there. And what he did was he started to help the *G pax who are caucasians (here you go). Then he went behind the desk in the middle. I observed and I wondered why he worked in the computer, then asked the passport/visa checker ( I think they had different uniforms) to do something in this girl's computer. Thus, he hold up the smooth process in my line.
When my turn, the girl was corteous. Everything was okay. But then he asked the girl to stop to put in the address and passport info of a *G pax. The girl said he had to wait because I am in F. He was unhappy. (Well I don't know German, but I could grasp certain words or limited senteces)
When I was done, it was 40 minutes later after I started in line.
Went to the BP checker, and this LH lady was very nice and appreciate the business bla bla bla. She said hope I wll have a great flight. I said, yes I am looking forward for my flight, but it started unhappily. She asked why. And I said I had to wait for 40 minutes in line for the passport & visa checkers. And she asked whether I was in the right desk. I said yes it's for F and C, but all the pax in front of me were Y pax. Then I told her that it's not my error that the LH staff who issued my BP in ZRH did not put in my info in the computer. She asked whether I showed my red BP to the guy. I said yes, and I told her that he said I had to be in line. She apologized so many times, and she said the guy should brought me up front since I am in premium class.
I guess it happened not only to me. I think an Indian lady who was in F got same experience as me. The reason why I said this because before general boarding announcement, the lady came to see her and me, and apologized agin and again for what had happened, and let us walked first to the plane.
It was a bad experience in the ground at ZRH and especially at FRA. I wish LH and LX computer can talk to each other properly. And I hope LH guy would be more caring about premium pax. I know it's a stressful job, but it's part of our life.
And of course, I always enjoy onboard service LH F...
LH 5051 C ZRH - 0700 FRA - 0815 paper ticket
LH 454 F FRA - 0955 SFO - 0955 E-tix
I took the first train from Hauptbanhof to ZRH. Went to Check-In Area 1, and headed to the check-in counter for First Class - Senator.
I told gave the lady my tickets and itineraries, as well as my passport, US visa, Canadian residence card, and SEN card. She saw that I was booked for C to FRA. She was so persistent that I should check-in at Business Class counter. I mentioned again to her that I would be in F from FRA to SFO. She said it's not relevant. Of course I had to mention that I did the same about two months ago. Then she said these section is only for First Class, Senator and StarAlliance Gold. And she asked whether I have any Gold status.
Of course, I told her that I am LH SEN. Well, I guess she did not look up my booking properly. She checked me in up to FRA only which understandable. I mean I have experienced this before. But, she did not want to check-through my luggage. So it was tagged only up to FRA. Of course I told her that it won't work because I don't have Schengen visa. Thus I would not be able to go to baggage claim in FRA.
Then she started to tell me that my paper tix is not correct. The date on the tix is not the same as the booking. She said I had to go to LH office. She has worked for so many years that she knows the rules. I told her that I did the date change through LH SEN reservation in the US and was told no need to go to tix office for sticker. She said that's not right because she would not know whether my tix can be changed or I have to pay penalty. I argued that LH SEN agent in the US should have known that my tix is changeable and no penalty, since I was not advised otherwise.
Anyhow, she was able to tag my bag as check-through. Thus no need to pick up the bag in FRA. Then she told me to get my BP for my LH FRA-SFO at FRA transfer desk since she can not do anything. I mention to her that from my experience, the transfer desk is always very busy early morning that even flying C or F would be a pretty long line. And I said last time when I was in ZRH, the agent took care of this across the hall which is now under renovation. Then she remembers something. Yes, I can go to LH ticket office which now has a temporary office outside the entrance near the curb.
After saying thank you for the help, I went outside to the curb, and found the door for LX and LX ticket office, which open at 545. Waiting for about 15 minutes, and I was helped by an LH staff.
Well, the guy could not issue my BP for FRA-SFO. When he put the red BP in the printer, it would come out blank. He tried and tried, and failed. He made a call, and still did not work. At last he asked his colleague and she told him to call somewhere. He made another call, and after a long time, my BP was printed. He told me that it's related to my bag tag which somehow it's not in the system. He called LX, and he informed me that I should check with the gate agent in FRA before boarding.
Took the flight.
Arriving in FRA, as usual, the aircraft was parked far away. The bus took me to Terminal B. To my surprise, this time my gate is A65. Took the train to Terminal A, and noticed something different. Well, it seems many US destinations depart from Terminal A. So, there was a special security area for US bound, which surprisingly was pretty quick. When departing from the Gate B 24-29, there would be the passport and visa checkers. But in Terminal A, this check is done at the gate.
I went to Gate A65, and lined up for the gate agent check-in. I noticed couple UA 1K flyers who tried to upgrade at the counter. Then when my turn, I told the agent to check my bag tag in the computer. She told me she could not check it because they were in the process of loading bags. Thus no info would be close to accurate enough. She suggested to me to wait at FCL, but I told her I could not go because it's in Schengen area, and I don't have visa. In addition, it's about 75 minutes prior to departure.
Okay, there are three temporary counter for document checking. Right hand side, the sign was clearly First Class and Business. I went to this line, since I had red BP. But I could not understand why the line was pretty long. An LH staff came to check my BP, and I gave it to him. He said I should stay in line. 10 minutes passed. My line was not moving (or moved by 1 or 2 persons). The left hand side line was longer, which I assumed for economy. But then I noticed that all pax in front of me were Y BPs. I did not say anything. But then, the LH guy started to pull let *G pax in the middle desk. When the guy was nearby me, I asked him politely and nicely why *G pax could move ahead in the middle desk. And he asked my BP again. He said my BP is incomplete. Thus I have to line up to get my passport and visa info entered in the computer. (Now I remembered my old BP always had API on top)
Here is the problem. He saw me with red BP. He rolled his eyes when talked to me. (I am not going into this, because I don't want to touch the race issue problem) If I were him, seeing an F pax stucked behind so many Y pax lining up in the First Class and Business Class desk, he should do something. But no, he did not do anything. Just let me wait there. And what he did was he started to help the *G pax who are caucasians (here you go). Then he went behind the desk in the middle. I observed and I wondered why he worked in the computer, then asked the passport/visa checker ( I think they had different uniforms) to do something in this girl's computer. Thus, he hold up the smooth process in my line.
When my turn, the girl was corteous. Everything was okay. But then he asked the girl to stop to put in the address and passport info of a *G pax. The girl said he had to wait because I am in F. He was unhappy. (Well I don't know German, but I could grasp certain words or limited senteces)
When I was done, it was 40 minutes later after I started in line.
Went to the BP checker, and this LH lady was very nice and appreciate the business bla bla bla. She said hope I wll have a great flight. I said, yes I am looking forward for my flight, but it started unhappily. She asked why. And I said I had to wait for 40 minutes in line for the passport & visa checkers. And she asked whether I was in the right desk. I said yes it's for F and C, but all the pax in front of me were Y pax. Then I told her that it's not my error that the LH staff who issued my BP in ZRH did not put in my info in the computer. She asked whether I showed my red BP to the guy. I said yes, and I told her that he said I had to be in line. She apologized so many times, and she said the guy should brought me up front since I am in premium class.
I guess it happened not only to me. I think an Indian lady who was in F got same experience as me. The reason why I said this because before general boarding announcement, the lady came to see her and me, and apologized agin and again for what had happened, and let us walked first to the plane.
It was a bad experience in the ground at ZRH and especially at FRA. I wish LH and LX computer can talk to each other properly. And I hope LH guy would be more caring about premium pax. I know it's a stressful job, but it's part of our life.
And of course, I always enjoy onboard service LH F...
Don't let something like that ruin your weekend, YOU MUST ENJOY IT!
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