Did you have a confirmed booking for a flight and were denied boarding even though the flight was operated? Then you have extensive rights under the Air Passenger Rights Regulation. Denied boarding can occur, for example, if you are denied boarding due to overbooking. However, this is also conceivable, for example, if you have already been refused check-in for the flight. Contractual claims may also exist.
You can submit your conciliation request conveniently online here – not only for air travel but also for rail, long-distance bus, public transport, package holidays or boat trips.
Irrespective of any specific damage, passengers may be entitled to a lump-sum compensation payment. The amount depends on the distance of the flight. In the case of a uniformly booked flight, the distance between the first point of departure and the last point of destination is always decisive.
For connections within Europe, compensation is limited to EUR 400.00 per person, even for longer distances.
Example: If passengers book a flight from Tenerife via Lisbon to Hamburg, for example, they may be entitled to compensation of EUR 400.00 for this intra-European connection, even though the distance between Tenerife and Hamburg is 3,575 km.
Depending on the distance, the compensation may be halved if the delay at the destination is relatively short.
The airline is not obliged to pay compensation if alternative transport is offered within certain narrow time limits.
The airline is also not obliged to pay compensation if it can cite a justifiable reason. A justifiable reason could be, for example, if passengers are late for check-in through their own fault or do not have the necessary travel documents.
In the event of denied boarding, passengers may also choose between a refund of their ticket (including a return flight to the first point of departure, if applicable) or an alternative flight. Special rules may apply to flights that are part of a package holiday.
In the event of a cancellation, airlines must provide care services during the waiting time: Catering, means of communication and, if necessary, overnight accommodation including transfer. The care services must also be provided if the company can invoke an exclusion of liability.
Whether a claim actually exists in your case depends on the specific individual case. The presentation of rights is only an initial overview and does not claim to be exhaustive.
A comprehensive presentation of air passenger rights can be found on the website of the European Union.
Geschäftsführerin:
Dr. Sabine Cofalla
Leiter der Schlichtungsstelle:
Dr. Christof Berlin
Amtsgericht Charlottenburg VR29041B
Fasanenstraße 81
10623 Berlin
Tel +49 30 6 44 99 33 – 0
