Did you have a delay on your flight? In the event of a delay, the flight will always take place. However, it will be operated at a later time. In most cases, the flight number remains the same or is only adjusted slightly. If a flight is delayed, travellers may be entitled to extensive rights under the Passenger Rights Regulation. 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.
Independent of any specific damage, passengers may be entitled to a lump-sum compensation payment. This does not arise directly from the Passenger Rights Regulation in the event of a delay. However, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that a compensation payment should also be considered if travellers reach their destination with a delay of at least three hours. The amount of the lump sum depends on the flight distance. The distance between the first point of departure and the last destination owed is always decisive for a uniformly booked flight.
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.
For long-haul flights, 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 carriage takes place within certain tight 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 internal strike, for example.
If the departure of the flight is expected to be delayed by at least five hours, passengers can cancel the trip and demand a refund of the ticket costs. However, there may be special circumstances for flights that are part of a package holiday.
If the departure is significantly delayed, airlines must provide assistance during the waiting time (catering and means of communication). The point at which the airline must offer travellers catering and communication facilities depends on the flight distance. Catering services must be offered at:
If the (onward) carriage only takes place on one of the following days, the airline must also offer travellers accommodation and a transfer between the airport and the place of accommodation. The airline is also obliged to provide care services if it 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 merely an initial overview and does not claim to be exhaustive.
The European Union website provides a comprehensive presentation of air passenger rights.
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
