Cancelled LH/Swiss flight: rebooking options vs whats been offered

[dmm27]

Original flights BHX-FRA-SIN on 4th Dec. The BHX-FRA leg has been cancelled so we have been offered a later flight from BHX which means we miss our original FRA-SIN leg that was on SQ25 (LH 9762). We have been offered a later flight on LH (or a refund, but too expensive to now rebook). Bit annoyed at missing out on SQ business class, and also arriving in SIN ~12hours later than intended (~5pm rather than~6am)

Looking at Swiss/LH websites, I was wondering if its reasonable to request a re-route MAN-FRA-SIN, as there are flights that depart MAN at a similar time to our original BHX flight and would allow us to connect to the original SQ flight. However when I rang Swiss customer service, (as the trip was booked via Swiss), they originally seemed to start to rebook but than said the LH9762/SQ25 flight is “cancelled” and therefore they cant rebook. However its still being sold, so presume that flight hasnt been cancelled. (Maybe they meant my tickets have been cancelled?)

Any advice on how best to try and secure a change to MAN-FRA-SIN? Am I likely to have more luck via LH rather than Swiss customer service? Or should I just accept it and go for the later arrival into SIN, which I guess may feel nicer on the body clock than a 6am arrival?
TIA

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

Don’t under any circumstances allow yourself to be fobbed off on LH J, which is substandard and arguably worse than BA Club World. Call Lufthansa if you booked on their website/received your ticket from them. Often the AI chatbot will spit out alternatives and they’ll be the first options the agent gives you too. Just be firm and state the flight numbers you want and wait for them to make it work on their end. “I can see it available on your website; do you need to override because of different fare classes?” is my usual go-to with them. LH are forever changing short haul timings and offering me wildly inconvenient alternative routings that I can always find better options for myself. I have this phone call once a month with LH.

[Lady London]

Don’t let them put you on an LH flight. Rob likes First on LH but if it’s possible to be worse than BA in Club then LH certainly did that on my small experience with them. LX is better in Club but still nothing aa good as SQ.

You can choose but has to be navigated carefully – has LH dumped BHX completely? or is there a flight a day earlier out of BHX. I’d tell them you simply cannot accept landing at a later time due plans but are prepared to travel from MAN or, if LH hasn’t canned BHX completely, a day earlier. Could London work whilst keeping you clear of any earlier departures from FRA (or MUC I presume) on LH, that are earlier than the SQ you want to stay on?

[Aston100]

Very very similar to my scenario this summer.
Was booked with Swiss originally, but they (permanently?) changed the timing of the long-haul out of Zurich.
LH / Swiss customer service refused to rebook on any other airline, including Star Alliance partners, insisting I’d need to take a much later or much earlier LH or LX flight from Brum only.
I must have rung them 8 or 9 times, and sent numerous emails with no realistic outcome, but With just 3 weeks or less left to go, they finally managed to find space on an LH flight from Heathrow for the evening of my original departure. I got them to acknowledge they’d cover the cost of a taxi down there (Couple hundred quid).

As expected, the LH longhaul experience was dire, with a number of issues including a broken seat (cabin full) and 1 working lavatory in business class.

[dmm27]

Yup done LH First before and it was fab. I was originally quite pleased that I’d managed to avoid their J and get SQ instead.

They havent ditched BHX completely. Just scrubbed the ~6.20 flight. We are now on a 2pm flight from BHX.

Didnt notice this last time, but it looks like there might also be an early morning BHX-MUC-SIN with the latter on SQ – may try for that instead

Going a day earlier…. did you mean an overnight in Germany, or just trying the same itinerary a day beforehand? It seems that flight still exists

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

dmm27 wrote:

Yup done LH First before and it was fab. I was originally quite pleased that I’d managed to avoid their J and get SQ instead.

They havent ditched BHX completely. Just scrubbed the ~6.20 flight. We are now on a 2pm flight from BHX.

Didnt notice this last time, but it looks like there might also be an early morning BHX-MUC-SIN with the latter on SQ – may try for that instead

Going a day earlier…. did you mean an overnight in Germany, or just trying the same itinerary a day beforehand? It seems that flight still exists

just trying the same itinerary a day beforehand. I’ve done this a few times without issue when they’ve messed my times around

[dmm27]

Result
Managed to get rebooked from MAN on same day and connecting to SQ.

Thanks for the advice 🙂

[Lady London]

🙂 Well done