Originally Posted by
Often1
OP - The sole question is the time of your actual arrival at DUS versus the time you were originally scheduled to arrive. I take that to be 3:20 AM vs 10:45 PM or a delay of 4:35. Thus, the threshold for EC 261/2004 compensation is met unless the departure delay was due to "extraordinary circumstances".
The rest of the story is irrelevant and simply complicates and delays any claim. I am not sure what having AB staff lolling around at a bus does when you apparently found the bus, boarded it and the driver took you to DUS. I actually credit AB for rounding up 4 buses at that time of night and packing you off on your way with due speed.
The one missing fact from your post is the reason for the two delays. Those ultimately caused a sufficient delay that your aircraft could not land at DUS and required the diversion. Do you know what that is?
If you don't, I would still file the EC 261/2004 claim. If you do, please let us know and you may get some better guidance here.
Thank you. The reason I mentioned about the bus was because of what the pilot said about the two possibilities of staying at a local hotel or to DUS. We weren't sure which bus to take because there were no sign or anyone to ask. There was another flight diverted there as well, so there were actually buses left and came after us.
There was no provision of why we were delayed. The FCO airport operated normally during that time though.
I was later told that DUS has a curfew so it wasn't heading to DUS right at takeoff. It would make more sense to accommodate us at Rome instead of making this extra long red-eye trip.