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Lufthansa glitch sees airline sell man's return ticket

Ieuan Davies Ieuan DaviesIeuan Davies
Ieuan Davies flew to Croatia on a Lufthansa flight but the airline told him his return ticket had been sold on as he had been a "no-show" on the outbound flight

A Wales football fan said he has been left more than £900 out of pocket due to a suspected airline computer glitch.

Ieuan Davies, 56, from Llangefni, on Anglesey, booked a return flight to the Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia, departing from Manchester on 24 March.

Wales drew 1-1 but when Mr Davies tried to come home on 26 March, Lufthansa said his ticket had been sold as he was a "no-show" for the outbound flight.

Lufthansa said Mr Davies should get in touch.

The German airline directed him to its customer relations department, which Mr Davies said he had contacted on multiple occasions already.

He said he first became concerned when the details of his return flight did not appear on the Lufthansa app.

Ieuan Davies Ieuan DaviesIeuan Davies
"Computer says no": To his surprise, Ieuan Davies was told he was not on the outbound flight to Split, Croatia

Friends said not to worry, but he called the airline and was told he had missed his flight to Split in Croatia via Frankfurt.

"I said to them 'I'm here, in Split. I'm ringing you from Split. You flew me here on Friday'," he recalled.

After more calls, the increasingly confused former town mayor turned up at the airport but Lufthansa said he was no longer booked on the flight.

Mr Davies said he was forced to buy a seat on the only available flight that would get him back to north Wales for Monday morning - an Air France business class ticket via Paris.

The flight cost him £932.

Getty Images Nathan BroadheadGetty Images
Wales debutant Nathan Broadhead secured an unexpected point for Wales with an injury-time equaliser

He has since had further calls with Lufthansa but said he was extremely frustrated the airline had refused to accept he was on the outbound flight.

He said he went through boarding and passport control as normal and was completely baffled by what has happened.

"It's some sort of computer glitch," he said. "I've given them the seat number I sat in. I've told them about the passenger I sat next to.

"I've been told it's some sort of one-in-five-million fault."

His insurers say it could be difficult to make a claim as he has no paperwork to show he was on the flight - it was all dealt with through the app and his details disappeared.

Mr Davies said he had since had a lot of help from the office of local Senedd Member Rhun ap Iorwerth, and the Wales Football Supporters Association.

"But it could take months," he added.

"It shows you just how messy the airline industry can be. Somehow I flew into Croatia under the radar.'"