Friend of mine was bumped from Lufthansa intra-European flight. Originally things looked quite good - because eco was full he was upgraded to business class, BUT just before he was boarding, he was told that business-class is also oversold. It came out that Lufthansa managed to sell few more tickets to this, already overbooked flight. As a result my friend was bumped finally (and he already hold boarding pass for that flight).
LH was "very" sorry and rerouted him via Amsterdam and Stockholm, but plane to Amsterdam took off 6 hrs later (because of weather) and he arrived to his final destination next afternoon, almost 15hrs later than planned.
What makes me angry is fact that LH did�nt offered him any compensation for denied boarding (and my friend was not aware that he was entitled to it).
I just heard about the case and of course I told him to contact airline asap. But I am not sure will it do any good - all those things happened almost 1 month ago. What You think? What should he get? I know that standard compensation is 150 EUR. But how to prove that he already did�t get it?
I think its a question of principle.
Thanks.

official LH compensation rules (since 1997):[*]book you on the next possible flight[*]inform your family members or business partners[*]book hotel accommodation, if required, or provide you with a meal before your onward flight[*]or refund the costs for transferring you to the original airport to which you were flying if the later flight is to a different airport.

Plus the following recomensations apply:

Flights within Europe:[*]delayed arrival up to 2 hours: value of vouchers = DM 300, cash payement DM 150[*]delayed arrival more than 2 hours: value of vouchers = DM 600, cash payement DM 300

Intercontinental flights:[*]delayed arrival up to 4 hours: value of vouchers = DM 600 (if starting in the US $ 400), cash payement DM 300[*]delayed arrival more than hours: value of vouchers = DM 1200, cash payement DM 600

my experience is that LH sometimes tries to get by not paying anything if the passenger does not insist (or know)!

But I would sure try to make them pay!

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Viele Gr��e

Oliver

denied boarding compensation within the EU is compulsory under EC law.

I agree. All the points were within the EU so Lufthansa are obiged to pay compensation. I was unclear where you friend lives, fokker50, not that this alters anything, but if all else fails, a letter from a lawyer does focus corporate minds.

Thanks to all for info and comments.

The law in the EU is governed by "Council Regulation (EEC) No 295/91 of 4 February 1991 establishing common rules for a denied-boarding compensation system in scheduled air transport ". See:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/lif/..._391R0295.html

A fairly 'plain English' summary of the regulation can be found at:
http://www.ecic.ie/tips/tip_06.html

This may be slightly off-topic, but be gald it wasn't a developing country like the Philippines. Airlines there are liable for only 150 pesos in denied boarding compensation, which is about $4. And if the plane's not full enough, they'll cancel and "combine" people onto a later flight, even if that means 6 hours later or the next day. Getting endorsed to another carrier is like pulling teeth, and your only other option is a refund (after 60-90 days).

So there's no economic deterrent against overbookings or against economic cancellations. Not surprisingly, some airlines abuse it. Not the kind of "deregulation" we need elsewhere, IMO.