Passengers of a flight with a delay can claim compensation from an airline when it carries out the entire flight on behalf of an airline from an EU Member State. This is apparent from a judgment of the European Court of Justice.
The case revolves around three travelers who booked a flight from Brussels (Belgium) to San José (United States) through a travel agency with a single booking with Lufthansa, with a stopover in Newark (United States).
Both direct flights were operated by United Airlines, a United States-based airline. The travelers arrived at their final destination 223 minutes later than planned.
The Court of Justice points out today that two or more directly connecting flights booked under a single booking form one whole. The Court also states that an airline from a third country (in this case United Airlines) which has not concluded a contract of carriage with the passengers, but which has operated the flight, may owe the compensation to the passengers. After all, that airline is supposed to act on behalf of the contracting airline (Lufthansa).
It is therefore possible to claim compensation.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.