A traveller has raised concerns about conflicting travel policies between United Airlines and Lufthansa. Although both are part of the Star Alliance network, their customer service approaches differ, causing confusion and frustration for passengers.
United Airlines Offers Family-Friendly Policies
The traveller had booked four international tickets for his family through United.com. He chose United because of its reputation for passenger-friendly policies. One such policy ensures children under 12 can sit with an accompanying adult at no extra charge.
United Chase Card Benefits Expected
Being a United Chase cardholder, the traveller also expected to receive free checked baggage as part of his membership benefits. These offers are widely promoted as perks for loyal customers.
Lufthansa Did Not Honour United Policies
When trying to select seats, the booking system redirected the user to Lufthansa’s website. Lufthansa, which was operating a segment of the trip, refused to honour United’s free family seating policy.
Airport Seating Option Not Reliable
Lufthansa allowed free seat selection only at the airport, on the day of departure. This made it difficult for the family to be seated together, despite technically being a no-cost option.
Traveller Calls the Experience Misleading
The traveller described the experience as disjointed and misleading. He believed that booking through United should have guaranteed a smooth and consistent travel process, especially within an airline alliance.
Airline Alliances Lack Unified Policies
This incident highlights a key issue within global airline alliances like Star Alliance. While they offer shared codes and loyalty rewards, customer-facing policies often vary between partner airlines, leading to inconsistent experiences.
