You sit at the airport and look forward to your well-deserved vacation. The suitcases have already been checked in, the weather at the destination is perfect and the anticipation is great. You already have the security check behind you and in a few minutes your plane will go. Everything could be so nice if it weren't for the annoying flight delays . With increasing air traffic and increasing competitive pressure in the sky, the number of delays and even cancellations of flights increases. There are various reasons for flight delays . Sometimes it is force majeure (e.g. bad weather), strikes or it is technical problems of the airlines that lead to a delayed take-off. According to statistics from the German air traffic controlIn Europe, a total of 8 percent of all flights were delayed in 2016 - and the trend is still increasing. For some travelers, a delay is only a nuisance, while others have problems getting their connecting flight or fail to make it to an important date in time. But as a passenger you also have rights that can bring you several hundred euros in the event of a delay . And it doesn't matter whether you are traveling with a low-cost airline or what you have paid for your flight ticket. We show you what you as a passenger are entitled to in the event of a flight being delayed and how you can best get your money.
- Flight within the EU (e.g. Munich - Paris, airline not decisive)
- Flights from the EU to a non-EU country (e.g. Berlin - New York, airline not decisive)
- Flights from a non-EU country to the EU that is operated by an EU airline (e.g. Beijing - Frankfurt with Lufthansa)
This does not include flights that start outside the EU and are operated by a non-EU airline, e.g. Dubai - Frankfurt with Emirates or Shanghai - Munich with Air China. If delays occur on these flights, EU passenger law does not apply and you are not entitled to compensation.
But the airlines do not have to pay compensation for every delay . If a flight is delayed due to force majeure , the airline is not at fault and as a passenger you will not receive any compensation. Force majeure is, for example, a storm / thunderstorm, strike or damage to the machine due to bird strikes.
Passengers are entitled to the following compensation:
The best way to determine the distance is with the Google Maps rangefinder . It always applies the straight line , that is the shortest distance between departure and destination airports.
The exact address of the airlines can be found in the website's imprint. As an attachment you should add a copy of your boarding pass and other documents (e.g. confirmation of delay etc.). The airlines should be given around four weeks to pay the compensation. If there is still no reaction after the four weeks, it is advisable to check again by letter and to extend the deadline by another two weeks. This applies not only in the case of delays, but also if a flight has been completely canceled (except in the event of force majeure, as a passenger you are also not entitled to compensation).
If you don't want to do the work yourself or want to get your money faster, you can also hire service companies that represent you legally. Here, however, around 25 percent of his compensation has to be transferred to the service provider, but only if the service is successful. If you have no success with your lawsuit against the airline, you also pay no commission and have no costs.If you use one of the service companies and the airline declares itself ready to pay (or you are successful in court), then you have to forego around 25 percent of the compensation amount. With a compensation of 400 euros, the traveler receives 300 euros, the service provider keeps 100 euros. FlightRight or FairPlane , for example, are providers of claims for compensation payments .
This knowledge does not help you against flight delays, but it gives you as a traveler the opportunity to assert your rights against airlines.
Requirements for compensation
The compensation payments that airlines have to make to their passengers are clearly defined in EU passenger rights . However, this requires one of the following conditions:- Flight within the EU (e.g. Munich - Paris, airline not decisive)
- Flights from the EU to a non-EU country (e.g. Berlin - New York, airline not decisive)
- Flights from a non-EU country to the EU that is operated by an EU airline (e.g. Beijing - Frankfurt with Lufthansa)
This does not include flights that start outside the EU and are operated by a non-EU airline, e.g. Dubai - Frankfurt with Emirates or Shanghai - Munich with Air China. If delays occur on these flights, EU passenger law does not apply and you are not entitled to compensation.
But the airlines do not have to pay compensation for every delay . If a flight is delayed due to force majeure , the airline is not at fault and as a passenger you will not receive any compensation. Force majeure is, for example, a storm / thunderstorm, strike or damage to the machine due to bird strikes.
What compensation are you entitled to?
Once you've checked that your flight meets all the requirements, it's now a matter of finding out how much compensation you are entitled to. In principle, every passenger can claim compensation, regardless of whether they have booked the flight themselves or through a travel agency. The decisive factor is that the flight is delayed by at least three hours . The decisive factor in calculating the delay is opening the doors of the aircraft after landing (and not putting on the wheels).Passengers are entitled to the following compensation:
- Flight distance up to 1,500 kilometers : 250 euros per passenger
- Flight distance between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers : 400 euros per passenger
- Flight distance over 3,500 kilometers : 600 euros per passenger
The best way to determine the distance is with the Google Maps rangefinder . It always applies the straight line , that is the shortest distance between departure and destination airports.
How do you get your compensation?
The first way to get your compensation is through direct contact with the airline. The best way to do this is by letter. This should include the following information:- Your name and address
- Your booking or ticket number (found on the booking confirmation or boarding pass)
- Flight number, date and route of the affected flight
- Exact information about planned and actual arrival time
- Total delay in hours and minutes
- Reference to EU passenger rights
- Your bank details to transfer the compensation
- Deadline by which to expect comments or transfers
The exact address of the airlines can be found in the website's imprint. As an attachment you should add a copy of your boarding pass and other documents (e.g. confirmation of delay etc.). The airlines should be given around four weeks to pay the compensation. If there is still no reaction after the four weeks, it is advisable to check again by letter and to extend the deadline by another two weeks. This applies not only in the case of delays, but also if a flight has been completely canceled (except in the event of force majeure, as a passenger you are also not entitled to compensation).
The airlines are not responding?
If the airline does not report or refuses to pay the compensation, you can contact the arbitration board for public transport as a traveler . The arbitration board is a point of contact for passengers and is generally free of charge for consumers.If you don't want to do the work yourself or want to get your money faster, you can also hire service companies that represent you legally. Here, however, around 25 percent of his compensation has to be transferred to the service provider, but only if the service is successful. If you have no success with your lawsuit against the airline, you also pay no commission and have no costs.If you use one of the service companies and the airline declares itself ready to pay (or you are successful in court), then you have to forego around 25 percent of the compensation amount. With a compensation of 400 euros, the traveler receives 300 euros, the service provider keeps 100 euros. FlightRight or FairPlane , for example, are providers of claims for compensation payments .
This knowledge does not help you against flight delays, but it gives you as a traveler the opportunity to assert your rights against airlines.
