Has your flight been cancelled? Then you may have extensive rights under the EU Passenger Rights Regulation. Even if the flight has not been cancelled, there may be a cancellation – for example, if the departure is moved forward or to another region. 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 coach, public transport, package tours or boat trips.
Irrespective of any specific damage, passengers may be entitled to a lump-sum compensation payment. The amount of this is calculated according to the flight distance. In the case of a single flight booking, the distance between the first point of departure and the last destination owed is always decisive
For intra-European connections, the compensation payment is limited to EUR 400.00 per person, even for longer distances.
Example: If travellers book a flight from Tenerife via Lisbon to Hamburg, for example, a compensation payment of EUR 400.00 is possible for this intra-European connection – despite a distance of 3. 575 km between Tenerife and Hamburg. 575 km between Tenerife and Hamburg – a compensation payment of EUR 400.00 can be considered.
Depending on the flight distance, the compensation payment can be halved if the arrival delay at the destination is relatively short.
The compensation payment does not apply if travellers were informed of the cancellation more than 14 days in advance. The airline is also not liable 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 invoke an exclusion of liability. An exclusion of liability may exist if the cancellation is due to extreme weather, official instructions or an external strike, for example.
In the event of a cancellation, passengers also have the choice between a refund of the flight price (including a return flight to the first point of departure) or alternative transport. 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
