Flight delay compensation

[alfabeat]

We were booked on a flight with Lufthansa from Cape Town to Frankfurt and then a different flight from Frankfurt to Heathrow (also with Lufthansa) just before New Year. Both flights were booked together as part of the same booking.

The flight was cancelled and we were rebooked onto an alternative flight 24 hours later with Ethiopian Airways, via Addis Abada.

I filled in a compensation form, as we had hotel costs etc to claim for, and they have responded saying that we are not entitled to any compensation for the delay, as our destination was London. If our destination had been Frankfurt, then we would have been entitled to compensation for the delay under EC Directive 261/2004.

Is it worth arguing that the flight that was delayed was the CT to Frankfurt flight or am I wasting my time?

The flight was cancelled, due to a faulty undercarriage, which wouldn't retract correctly, resulting a 2.5 hour pleasure flight around Cape Town, burning off fuel before landing back in Cape Town.

The replacement flight from Cape Town to Addis Adaba with Ethiopian Airways was the worst flight I have ever encountered. Filthy, dirty plane, totally ineffective cabin crew (people standing up as landing and taking off!). The onward flight from Addis Abada to Heathrow was, however, excellent.

Would welcome any thoughts from people with the knowledge!

[Crudeoink]

There is a UK counterpart (UK261 I think). I have claimed on this before and its a painfully slow and drawn out procedure to get any money out of them.

Section 4 here should help: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-pas...

[alfabeat]

Crudeoink said:

There is a UK counterpart (UK261 I think). I have claimed on this before and its a painfully slow and drawn out procedure to get any money out of them.

Section 4 here should help: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-pas...

Yes, but that is for UK airlines only, so doesn't work for me in this case.

[Mahalo]

You are entitled to compensation for the cancelled flight which would be 600Euros per person as the flight is long haul, you are also entitled to reasonable overnight hotel costs plus meals plus any transport costs to from hotel.
Unfortunately a lot of airlines can try to be difficult so you have to be firm in responding back to them that you are due this compensation. If they persist being difficult then send a letter before action giving them x days to pay compensation before you initiate proceedings against them.

[alfabeat]

alfabeat said:

Yes, but that is for UK airlines only, so doesn't work for me in this case.

Just looking at the UK261 again, and it does seem to cover EU airlines. So thanks for that.

[alfabeat]

Mahalo said:

You are entitled to compensation for the cancelled flight which would be 600Euros per person as the flight is long haul, you are also entitled to reasonable overnight hotel costs plus meals plus any transport costs to from hotel.
Unfortunately a lot of airlines can try to be difficult so you have to be firm in responding back to them that you are due this compensation. If they persist being difficult then send a letter before action giving them x days to pay compensation before you initiate proceedings against them.

I shall investigate further and get my ducks in a row before responding. Thank you. Family of 5, so worth pursuing!

[alfabeat]

alfabeat said:

I shall investigate further and get my ducks in a row before responding. Thank you. Family of 5, so worth pursuing!

Lufthansa have finally agreed to pay the compensation. They certainly don't make it easy (unsurprisingly), but stating in their initial response that I was not due any compensation is a bit naughty. How many people give up then? For a family of 5 it is quite a sum.

[recordman]

Well done for persevering with this. It's disgusting that airlines try it on in the hope that the claimant gives up. They ought to be penalised for this behaviour, make them pay 2 or 3 times the amount due would go some way to discourage them.

[SoliD]

All airlines initial response seems to be no we're not liable, United were the worst almost 15 years ago, took 5 months and lots of back and forth before they finally gave in and paid up the 600euro per person.

Although credit to BA who had paid me before I got back from my holiday in 2024 when my outbound flight LHR to Chicago was cancelled the day before and I had to go via Boston meaning I arrived about 7 hours later than planned. They didn't even quibble, although that was my 3rd payout from BA so maybe they have a big red flag against my name, as the previous claim went to the CAA who sided with me