The message is clear: if an airline advertises a “lie-flat” seat, passengers expect a seat that truly lies flat. Nearly seven years ago, a Lufthansa passenger flying business class from Mumbai to Dallas complained that the advertised lie-flat seat only partially reclined, preventing him from sleeping comfortably.
Lufthansa countered that the terminology matters, arguing a “lie-flat” seat is not necessarily the same as a “fully flat” or “flat-bed” seat. India’s National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission disagreed with that distinction. The commission ordered Lufthansa to refund the passenger’s airfare (about $780), reimburse litigation costs (about $156), and pay a fine of approximately $31,260.
Lufthansa has said it will appeal the ruling.