Before a flight, there are many issues that may arise which require you to contact the airline – those being special meals, seat selection, special requests or accommodations, or just the simplest of things you have to know, such as whether baggage can be checked to your final destination. Since each airline can be contacted in a multitude of ways, knowing the best method can save you tons of time and energy. For example, you can avoid wasting hours on the phone waiting for an agent that won’t help you at the end of the day.
It’s worth noting that I wrote this post based on my extensive experience contacting various agents of the respective airlines on a variety of occasions over the course of many months. You may have a different experience contacting these airlines.
What is the best way to contact the airline for information and/or help on Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines?
Lufthansa
The best way to contact Lufthansa specifically is through phone. However, other airlines in the Lufthansa Group are a different story. For example, Austrian Airlines has a helpful Facebook team that answers you promptly if you message them on Facebook. But let’s focus on Lufthansa for now, which does not have a Facebook team.
Lufthansa has many different call centers worldwide, and I find their 24-hour German line to be the best. When you call them you’ll first a pre-recorded message in German, but if you hold on you’ll be transferred to an English speaking agent. I’ve consistently found the agents at this call center to be very knowledgeable and helpful. Special shout out to agent Jager, who was able to assist with my requests efficiently and completely. She went the extra mile to do everything she could to help. Jager, if you’re reading this, thanks for your enthusiasm and friendliness!
One call center to avoid is the USA contact center. While there are native English speakers, wait times are consistently 40-50 minutes, and agents are typically less eager to help and tend to say they can’t do anything. At one point, I asked to speak to the agent’s supervisor because they were being rude and offensive, only to be refuted with “I’m not willing to do that”. Thus, I strongly advise you to save your time and simply call the great, 24-hour call center in Germany, which I’ve detailed above.
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific’s Facebook team is great for general, straightforward information such as the menu for an upcoming flight, or policies and other information, but may not be able to assist with your booking. You shouldn’t call the USA contact center either – their office hours are limited and I’ve never got to speak to an agent even after holding for more than 90 minutes. Instead, the main Global Contact Center based in Hong Kong is your best bet. Even though there’s often a slight language barrier and hold times can often be long, the agents are willing to help and will get things done.
Singapore Airlines
And now, I give credit to Singapore Airlines for having the easiest way of contacting them- through Facebook messaging at @SingaporeAir by typing “Speak to Agent” to KrisBot. They’re available Monday to Saturday 9am – 9pm Singapore (Hong Kong) time, and most agents are extremely helpful and professional. They are extremely knowledgeable and will always give you a detailed response quickly, and have always gotten back to me by email if the information isn’t available immediately. Best of all, the convenience is unbeatable – you can message them anytime and anywhere, even in places not suitable for speaking or even on an Uber to work or home. This is such a useful tool that I’ve never had to call Singapore Airlines directly – their exceptionally well-trained agents on Facebook can do anything,
Bottom Line
Contacting an airline for information, requests, or assistance doesn’t have to be painful, especially when you have insider tips. If you ever need to call internationally, I recommend using Skype Call in which you can call at cheap rates by purchasing Skype Credits. This has been incredibly helpful for me whenever I need to call overseas call centers.
Thanks for reading, and if you stumbled upon this post for guidance on how to contact a specific airline, I hope you have a pleasant experience! If your experience differs from mine above, feel free to report back – we’ll be happy to hear your experience.