Lufthansa Group airlines to publish flight cancellations for summer 2021 | Reconfirmation required

The pandemic continues to have a firm grip on all of us. Even though the desire to travel is palpable, the tightened travel restrictions still have a significant impact on air traffic.

As a result, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, Air Dolomiti and Brussels Airlines are publishing flight cancellations for summer 2021 (1 May to 30 October 2021). The early adjustment of the timetable ensures that new bookings for the summer are based on the reduced flight schedule, making future cancellations less likely.

Yet we are looking ahead with optimism: As soon as travel will be possible again, we anticipate increased demand for vacations – and are therefore upgrading our touristic offer with numerous new leisure destinations.

Flight cancellations and rebooking options

The flight cancellations will be gradually implemented in the booking systems starting 25 February 2021 and will appear in your queue.

• Passengers affected by flight cancellations will be rebooked automatically as much as possible
  
  
• In the case of transfer connections, manual rebooking of feeder and de-feeder flights may be required
  
  
• You can make changes to the automated rebookings yourself within the framework of the OS/LH/LX/SN/EN Flight Irregularities Policies
  
  
• Alternatively, it is also possible to rebook customers who wish to change their routing, for example, without a change fee based on the goodwill rule TWP 2101 (for tickets issued up to and including 31 August 2020) or in accordance with the fare conditions

» Goodwill rule (TWP 2101)
» OS/LH/LX Flight Irregularities Policy
» SN INVOL Rules
» EN INVOL Rules

Important notes on rebooking/reissue of cancelled flights:

• For all passengers affected by a flight cancellation, only one (1) free rebooking/reissue is allowed based on the Flight Irregularities Policy (OS/LH/LX), SN INVOL Rules or EN INVOL Rules. The rebooking/reissue can be done at any time within the validity of the ticket
  
  
• Any further rebooking/reissue must be made based on the original fare conditions
  
  
• We recommend that you do not make the rebooking/reissue until your customer knows for sure when he/she wants to travel
  
  
• Customers who do not wish to take advantage of any of the rebooking options may have their ticket refunded on the basis of the Flight Irregularities Policy (OS/LH/LX), the SN INVOL rules or the EN INVOL rules.

How to avoid ADMs

Identical errors often occur when processing PNRs with cancelled flights. These errors can lead to Agency Debit Memos (ADMs) and are usually easy to avoid.

• Bookings without any cancelled flights may not be refunded on involuntary basis. Please wait until the flight has been set to UN before you do a rebooking/reissue/refund according to the Flight irregularities policy or INVOL rules
  
  
• For bookings cancelled in advance on a voluntary basis, ticket can only be refunded according to the fare conditions
  
  
• An approval (waiver) from your Lufthansa Group Agency Support Desk is always required for refunds and reissues after flight cancellations by any airline other than Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings (prime and codeshare flights) on a document from Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa or SWISS

Reconfirmation for bookings affected by flight cancellations/schedule changes

With this adjustment of the flight offer and in addition to the UN or UN/TK, an SSR element ("PLS VERIFY IF PAX DEF TRVL AND INSERT OSI YY PAX DEF TRVLG") will be entered into all PNRs in which at least one Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa or SWISS flight segment is cancelled and/or automatically rebooked. Please note that the SSR element will also be entered in case of a schedule change (TK).

Does the traveler want to use the remaining flights as booked?

• As part of your standard process for handling flight irregularities, there is no additional work necessary, provided you book at least one new flight segment. In this case, you do not need to enter an OSI element ("PAX DEF TRVLG")
  
  
• If you have not yet processed the PNR in your standard handling process, please confirm the booking within 21 days after flight cancellation/schedule change by entering an OSI element ("PAX DEF TRVLG")
  
  
• After entering an OSI element, the ticket can of course still be used for a reissue based on the goodwill rules or Flight Irregularities policy
  
  
• If you did not process the booking within the deadline and it was therefore automatically cancelled, you can rebook the flights if necessary. If the original booking class is no longer available, please contact your Lufthansa Group Agency Support Desk

Does the traveler no longer wish to use the remaining flights as booked?

• The booking will be automatically cancelled after the deadline has passed if no OSI element has been entered or no flight segment has been booked. Nevertheless, we would be grateful if you could clean-up the PNR beforehand (cancellation of the remaining flights and deletion of the inactive segments)

By providing the necessary reconfirmations and cleaning up the booking inventory, you are helping us to map realistic availabilities in the reservation systems for the summer months – and to adjust seat capacities accordingly, if necessary.

» The OS/LH/LX reconfirmation process in detail

We would like to thank you very much for the trust you have placed in the Lufthansa Group and the care you have given to our mutual customers.