Lufthansa missed connecting flight compensation.
With EU laws, if the airline is at fault for your delayed or cancelled flight resulting in a missed connection, you may be eligible to receive compensation. In this article we will provide more detail on how you can demand compensation and offer advice on ways to avoid delays and missing flights in the future.
It applies to all Lufthansa flights to and from Europe.
Did you miss a connecting flight? File a compensation claim online.
UK / EU Flight Compensation
We have several articles on these topics.
Here is a full guide on UK / EU flight compensation regulation. There we talk about all situations, when you can get compensation from the airline and when you have a right to care. We also have separate guides on what to do if you miss connection due to delay, strike, or cancellation of one of your flights.
Here, in this article, we will focus more on the compensation – UK / EU Missed connecting flight compensation.
1. Lufthansa Missed Connecting Flight Compensation
Lufthansa is the flag carrier airline of Germany.
When your airline, Lufthansa, is responsible for an unreasonable flight delay or cancellation, you might be eligible to receive compensation. This same policy applies if the incident results in a missed connecting flight – it’s essentially the same as filing a claim for a delayed/cancelled flight and can be referred to as “missed connection compensation”.
Simply put: if your Lufthansa flight arrives late, and this delay is due to their fault, then the airline must compensate you in accordance with the law. All that is required is your delay must be at least three hours in length.
There are two conditions that must be met:
- Your flight must be at least 3 hours late. The delay duration is calculated based on the time when you reach your destination.
- It must be an airline-protected connecting flight. These rules don’t apply to self-transfer flights.
1.1 European and non-European airlines
The country of origin of your airline matters.
The Flight Compensation Regulation 2004 No 261/2004 covers all flights departing from the European Union (EU) or those operated by an EU-based airline. This regulation also applies to flights arriving in the EU, as long as they are operated by an EU-based airline. The regulation applies to both domestic and international flights. As Lufthansa is a European airline, you are protected on all Lufthansa flights.
But what if your Flight is with a non-European carrier (such as Qatar Airways)? If it’s a non-European airline, you are protected under the law only when travelling FROM Europe. Flights to Europe are not covered.
| EU/UK to EU/UK | EU/UK to Other countries | Other countries to EU/UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU airlines | + | + | + |
| UK airlines | + | + | + |
| Other airlines | + | + | – |
1.2 Self-Transfer Flights
With self transfer, it’s not as easy and stress-free.
For example, one of your flights is with Lufthansa and one with Ryanair, easyJet, Pegasus or any other airline. Such flights are considered to be self-transfer flights. It’s when you book multiple flights separately.
Self transfers allow passengers to fly with multiple airlines and easily take advantage of stopover opportunities. While self-transfer flights can provide more options, they also require travelers to be aware of the regulations on baggage transfer at the connecting airports, as well as any visa requirements for transit through certain countries. It is important for those using a self-transfer flight to thoroughly research the rules and regulations before booking their tickets.
One more thing to remember is that you less protected with self transfers. For instance, if your flight delay is less than 3 hours, and you still miss your plane, neither compensation nor another ticket will be provided. It’s very important that you know this before deciding on a self transfer option.
- You won’t get a new flight to your destination for free, because it’s a self transfer. Airlines are not responsible for such transfers.
- Your flight isn’t delayed for a minimum of 3 hours. Even if this causes you to miss your connection, you won’t be entitled to compensation. These are separate flights, not an airline-protected transfer.
When it comes to air passenger rights, unless otherwise stated, we talk about air passenger rights in the EU, EEA and UK. When we say Europe or European, we mean EU, EEA or UK. This is done for the simplicity, since the according laws in these countries are about the same.
2. How Much Can You Claim for Missed Connecting Flight?
Mostly it’s 250, 400 or 600 euro per person.
The amounts are regulated by flight compensation regulations.
The longer the flight, the more you can get.
- 250 EUR – if the flight distance is less than 1500 km;
- 400 EUR – if the flight distance is between 1500 and 3500 km;
- 600 EUR – if the flight distance is more than 3500 km.
3. How to File a Claim for Missed Connection Compensation?
There are two options:
- You can file a claim with compensation company.
- Or, you can do it all on your own.
If you choose the latter (option number 2):
- Make sure you have all the information about your missed Lufthansa connecting flight.
- You can submit your claim directly to Lufthansa. You can do this via their online form (application for compensation in the event of flight irregularities).
- To submit a request for missed connection compensation from Lufthansa, please provide all your personal information including name, address, email address, flight details and other requested information. It’s important to include your contact information so that you receive a response from the airline.
- Anticipate that you may be waiting for their reply for some time – often several weeks.
- Lufthansa may request further evidence, depending on the circumstances of your complaint, to authenticate and approve it.
- If you aren’t happy with the airline’s decision, file a claim for compensation with the National Enforcement Body (NEB). The NEB will review your case and determine if you are entitled to compensation. Or work with a flight compensation company (Option 1).
4. Right to Care from Lufthansa
On all Lufthansa flights you have a right to care.
According to the EU Regulation 261/2004 airline should provide:
- Free food and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Free hotel accommodation if a stay of one or more nights is necessary;
- Free airport transfer to hotel and back.
- Plus, two telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails. So you can get in touch with your family, relatives, or to inform someone about this flight disruption and resulting changes in your travel plans.
It applies to all Lufthansa international flights and all domestic flights. Again, it’s because Lufthansa is a European airline. With non-European airlines it applies only to flights departing from European airports.
5. Tips on Flight Delays and Missed Connections
The more informed you are, the better.
- Don’t risk with short layover times. Make sure that there is a generous buffer between your arrival and departure to avoid any complications.
- Be aware of any potential delays or weather-related issues. Before you leave for the airport, check the airline’s or airport’s website for any warnings of potential delays or cancellations.
- Take advantage of flight trackers such as FlightStats to stay informed and one step ahead. You will be informed of any changes that can have an impact on your journey, allowing you to make the necessary adjustments accordingly.
- Get travel insurance! Make sure it covers trip interruption. With such travel insurance policy, you can protect yourself from such unforeseen events. It will provide you with financial compensation for any losses or expenses that you may incur due to an interruption to your trip. This can include cancelled flights, missed connections, and hotel bookings, as well as added costs such as accommodation at a new destination if you need to change your plans abruptly.
- Know your rights! Knowing your rights will give you a sense of security during times of potential travel disruption. European laws ensure that if you experience an issue with your flight caused by no fault of yours, airlines have to provide assistance and support.
What is your experience with Lufthansa? Have you ever missed a connecting flight with Lufthansa? How did the airline solve this? Did you receive missed connection compensation from Lufthansa?
Featured photo by Tom Dasko from Pexels
