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Passenger rights

February 22, 2010

Lufthansa and Germanwings pilots are on strike making flight cancellations and delays unavoidable. For passengers affected by the strike, we have put together information on cancellation and compensation procedures.

https://p.dw.com/p/M7es
board with cancelled flights at Lufthansa
Image: AP

Dates affected

The strike started on Monday, February 22, and is scheduled to end on Thursday, February 25 at 23:59.

Rescheduling

Passengers who have booked a Lufthansa flight during the period of February 22-25 can reschedule the flight free of charge with the same departure point and destination. The new departure date must be before March 31.

Lufthansa will try to book passengers affected on alternative flights. Within Germany, passengers can exchange their flight tickets for train tickets.

Cancellation

Lufthansa is posting the delayed and cancelled flights on its Web site. Passengers with bookings for flights that have been cancelled can cancel their tickets either at the airport or from their homes and will get their money back.

Delays

According to EU regulations, passengers have a right to service benefits including phone calls, drinks, food and possibly an overnight stay in a hotel if a flight is two hours late or more (flights up to 1,500 kilometers). Service benefits are due after a three-hour wait if flights of between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers are delayed. The time span is four hours for 3,500 kilometers and up; if a flight is five hours late, passengers can demand to be repaid the full price of the flight.

Compensation

According to EU regulations, passengers have a right to compensation of up to 600 euros if a flight is cancelled, three hours late or overbooked - but only if no "exceptional" circumstances are to blame.

But as Lufthansa regards strikes, bad weather and technical defects as "exceptional" circumstances, the airline is not inclined to pay compensation.

db/Susanne Hayne (apn,afp)
Editor: Chuck Penfold