Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Flight delay compensation

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 10, 2018, 10:43 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Flight delay compensation

Hello, I was flying ORD-MUC-OTP. My ORD-MUC flight was delayed by 3 hours because the aircraft left MUC late (not sure why it left late).

I ended up missing my connecting MUC-OTP flight by about 15min. This flight was scheduled to arrive at OTP at 5:50PM. I was stuck at MUC for over 6hr waiting for the 10:20pm flight to OTP which didn't arrive until 1:15AM. I was given a 10EUR meal voucher at the airport.

Could I be due compensation for this delay?
poisson is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 12:16 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 8,047
Yes, you could. but mostly it depends on why the airplane left late for ORD.
Fabo.sk is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 3:39 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
Yes, you could. but mostly it depends on why the airplane left late for ORD.
I sent an email to Lufthansa asking why the flight was late and if I am owed any form of compensation.
poisson is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 7:38 pm
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,638
Originally Posted by poisson
I sent an email to Lufthansa asking why the flight was late and if I am owed any form of compensation.
Strongly suggest you do as much investigating yourself as you can, LH typically do all they can to avoid paying EU261 compensation.
Usually the Captain announces the reason onboard for such a long delay.
Was your inbound flight delayed ?

You are due compensation as long as the reason was not extraordinary, such as Medical emergency, extreme Weather, ATC restrictions.
chris63 is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 9:18 am
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by chris63


Strongly suggest you do as much investigating yourself as you can, LH typically do all they can to avoid paying EU261 compensation.
Usually the Captain announces the reason onboard for such a long delay.
Was your inbound flight delayed ?

You are due compensation as long as the reason was not extraordinary, such as Medical emergency, extreme Weather, ATC restrictions.
My ORD-MUC flight arrived in MUC 3hr late because the plane was coming from MUC and was delayed 2hr departing there.

Is anyone on this forum able to find out why? The pilot or crew only said that the plane was late arriving into ORD, but didn't say why it was late leaving MUC.
poisson is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 12:24 pm
  #6  
htb
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,671
Originally Posted by poisson
I sent an email to Lufthansa asking why the flight was late and if I am owed any form of compensation.
I think that's not the recommended way. I'm very much sure that you will get a reply that you are not due any compensation because they could never have prevented the delay. This will probably take a long time. Then you are as far as you are now: at the beginning.

Usually you just claim EU261 compensation. LH will usually reply by saying that you are not due compensation because it was an extraordinary circumstance they could never have prevented. Then you reply back that according to such and such court decision these circumstances are not considered extraordinary and that you expect payment, after which LH usually will pay.

HTB.
chris63 likes this.
htb is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 12:30 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: British Airways Gold
Posts: 2,636
Originally Posted by poisson
I sent an email to Lufthansa asking why the flight was late and if I am owed any form of compensation.
Lufthansa routinely tries to deny valid EC261 claims, there is zero chance they are going to voluntarily help you. Just file the claim and then fight it out depending on what they say back.
ajeleonard is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 12:49 pm
  #8  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Originally Posted by ajeleonard
Lufthansa routinely tries to deny valid EC261 claims, there is zero chance they are going to voluntarily help you. Just file the claim and then fight it out depending on what they say back.
While it is LH's burden to prove an "extraordinary circumstance" there is nothing to fight about if you haven't done the leg work yourself.
chris63 likes this.
Often1 is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 7:55 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,638
Originally Posted by poisson
My ORD-MUC flight arrived in MUC 3hr late because the plane was coming from MUC and was delayed 2hr departing there.

Is anyone on this forum able to find out why? The pilot or crew only said that the plane was late arriving into ORD, but didn't say why it was late leaving MUC.
When one is experienced in these matters, I would have been checking what had happened whilst waiting for the plane from MUC to rock up.

Check the historical weather in MUC at the time of departure & the departure times of flights scheduled to leave at the same time.

If the Weather in MUC was ok & not causing delays to other flights then it’s most likely technical & therfore in Germany not considered extraordinary.
chris63 is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2018, 3:05 am
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,846
Originally Posted by poisson
I sent an email to Lufthansa asking why the flight was late and if I am owed any form of compensation.
This is not the right way to approach LH in these matters. I would write to LH in very short that you arrived at your final destination with a significant delay and request LH to pay compensation according to EC reg. 261/04 with reference that the delay of the incoming flight MUC-ORD flight was not extraordinary.

Be aware that it is almost 100% certain that initially your claim will be rejected. Then reply back maintaining the claim (unless LH has a very good reason for delay, i.e. the delay was extraordinary).
SK AAR is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2018, 5:34 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: USA, France
Programs: LH HON*****, AF/KL Gold; HHilton Diamond; Marriott Gold; IHG Platinium; Avis PresClub
Posts: 934
Originally Posted by poisson
My ORD-MUC flight arrived in MUC 3hr late because the plane was coming from MUC and was delayed 2hr departing there.

Is anyone on this forum able to find out why? The pilot or crew only said that the plane was late arriving into ORD, but didn't say why it was late leaving MUC.
Are you talking about LH435 leaving ORD on 25th Nov?
If yes, LH does not owe you a compensation, as the aircraft arrived 2h24min late. That's well below the threshold of 3 hours.
For your onging travel to OTP it's another story assuming it was on a single ticket, as you missed your connecting flight.

Last edited by athome; Dec 12, 2018 at 5:46 am
athome is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2018, 7:50 am
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by athome
Are you talking about LH435 leaving ORD on 25th Nov?
If yes, LH does not owe you a compensation, as the aircraft arrived 2h24min late. That's well below the threshold of 3 hours.
For your onging travel to OTP it's another story assuming it was on a single ticket, as you missed your connecting flight.
It was LH435 leaving on Nov 15. I arrived in MUC 3hr late causing me to miss my LH1654 flight to OTP. The next MUC-OTP flight wasn't until much later that evening. I arrived in Bucharest over 6hr later than originally scheduled. The flight was on the same booking.

I have checked a few other flights departing MUC on the 15th between 3 and 5pm and do not see any major delays. I checked the weather on the 15th and did not see any rain or fog.
poisson is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2018, 10:19 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: USA, France
Programs: LH HON*****, AF/KL Gold; HHilton Diamond; Marriott Gold; IHG Platinium; Avis PresClub
Posts: 934
I just had a look on the details:
LH435 arrived on 16-Nov in MUC at 15:42 (instead of planned: 12:50).
LH1654 MUC - OTP planned departure at 14:55 left MUC at 16:24.
That's 42 minutes after your arrival. That should have been enough time for the transfer.
Why were you not capable to get the flight? Did LH told you that you cannot reach it? Did you rebook to the MUC - OTP leg already before departure in ORD yourself?

LH may have an argument stating that it was feasible to get the connecting flight (which was also delayed [by 1h29min at departure in MUC]). Therefore they may reject your claim.

Last edited by athome; Dec 12, 2018 at 10:36 am
athome is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2018, 10:22 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: BTS/VIE/FRA
Programs: M&M Senator, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 29
Originally Posted by SK AAR
Be aware that it is almost 100% certain that initially your claim will be rejected.
Last time I was asking LH for compensation it went smooth - I wrote clearly that delay was caused by flight operated by LH and therefore I missed my connection, so I am asking for compensation 250€ based on regulation. Attached all documents, boarding passes, original schedule, when rescheduled flight landed proving delay. Response was short, we are so sorry and sending money soon.

However, bigger issue I had with sending the request. First got lost in LH five star IT, next was not delivered due to internal error of the form, finally I made it old school via mail...
Braniq is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2018, 11:42 am
  #15  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by athome
I just had a look on the details:
LH435 arrived on 16-Nov in MUC at 15:42 (instead of planned: 12:50).
LH1654 MUC - OTP planned departure at 14:55 left MUC at 16:24.
That's 42 minutes after your arrival. That should have been enough time for the transfer.
Why were you not capable to get the flight? Did LH told you that you cannot reach it? Did you rebook to the MUC - OTP leg already before departure in ORD yourself?

LH may have an argument stating that it was feasible to get the connecting flight (which was also delayed [by 1h29min at departure in MUC]). Therefore they may reject your claim.
Don't they lock the doors about 20-30min before departure? I literally ran to the gate and got there probably 5-10min too late. No one was at the gate and the screen near the gate had already been turned off. I waited at the Lufthansa desk and they had already rebooked me on the next available flight, so I assume they knew it wouldn't be possible to make it.
poisson is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.