Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines
are removing rebooking fees for all fare types until the end of December 2020
in a bid to offer customers more flexibility during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lufthansa Group’s airlines began offering a one-off
free-of-charge rebooking service in the spring, but the company is now making
it possible for all fare types on short, medium and long-haul routes to be
rebooked several times with no fee. This includes the lowest ‘light’ fare
without checked baggage, and customers can choose to rebook on a different date
or to change their destination. However, the company said customers may incur
additional costs if, for example, the original booking class is no longer
available when rebooking to a different date or destination.
Lufthansa said it will also continue offering its return
flight promise on all European routes, as well as a travel insurance policy for
protection in the country of travel through a partnership with AXA Partners.
On-site cover applies in the event of a travel warning or a significant spread
of the coronavirus. Customers can be flown back to Germany, Austria, or
Switzerland with Lufthansa, Swiss, or Austrian Airlines. Economy Class, Business
Saver, Economy Flex and Business Flex fares include an “all-inclusive carefree
package” that covers the costs of quarantine, travel interruption, a telephone
consultation before and during the trip, or medical repatriation, among other
things, according to Lufthansa. With the “Bring Me Home Now” fare, customers
are carried on the next bookable Lufthansa Group flight. All of these fare
extensions are free of charge and have been extended until the end of September.