Lufthansas information about the benefits of their "Miles and More" program is wrong. When it gets to a point where they would have to admit this, they just don't answer anymore. Any company that cares about its reputation would try to make it straight if a customer was deceived by their information. Not so Lufthansa or its "Star Alliance Partners". Obviously there is no government agency that regulates frequent flier programs so that Airlines can basically make any kind of promises without having to fear any consequences.


On one occasion I booked a flight with Singapore Airlines that took me over 40 hours because I believed that I would be able to uprade it with my Miles and More miles that were about to expire. Lufthansa explicitly states that Miles and More members are able to upgrade their Singapore Airlines bookings. After I booked the flight it was, sorry - the upgrade is not going through. When I contacted SIA I was told that their flights are not upgradable for Miles and More members, only if it was a Code share flight that was originally booked by Lufthansa. i even have this in writing. When I submitted a copy of their letter to Lufthansa their response was: "We are unable to comment this" A second letter that I submitted to Lufthansa asking them if they don't communicate with their partners has never been answered, that's why I am assuming that my assumption is true. It is very convenient for Lufthansa to say "we cannot tell you in advance if an upgrade is possible, go ahead and book the flight" They make customers believe that Star Alliance is like one big company but if there is any issue that involves two different Star Alliance "partners" then it is "we don't have any control over this, we don't know why you were told this, we don't know why this happened..."

On another occasion I was denied access to a United First Class lounge despite my First Class Lufthansa ticket. Lufthansas website clearly states "A First Class ticket holder has access to any (!) Star Alliance lounge" When I mentioned this to the lounge receptionist the answer was "we don't care about what Lufthansas website says". Again, when I contacted Lufthansa they preferred not to comment this and never answered.