Flight Delay Compensation, Lufthansa Only

Centipede100 · 22 January 2013 at 12:13PM

MSE Official Insert:

This Luthansa discussion thread is linked to from our Flight Delays Compensation guide. Please read that for full help.

y2jammie · 22 January 2013 at 12:23PM

Thanks Centipede,

Having taken a look around on Flightstats, and searching for airport closures on 16 June 2012 - I can see that Jersey airport was closed on this date which led to a Lufthansa flight arriving nearly 600 minutes late (which may / may not have been my plane). Not Dusseldorf itself.

Dusseldorf is a Lufthansa hub, i'd expect there to be some Lufthansa planes there that could have completed the journey (it's only about an hour after all).

Given the small amount of people who I saw waiting around after the original flight was cancelled, I think they decided most of us would fit on the next one and decided to just cancel it.

y2jammie · 22 January 2013 at 12:58PM

I've actually just been through Lufthansa flights on this day in and out of Dusseldorf.

My original flight was meant to depart Dusseldorf at 18:30 local time.

According to flightstats...

40 Lufthansa flights arrived in to Dusseldorf between 12pm - 18:15pm local time.

35 Lufthansa flights departed Dusseldorf between 12pm - 18:15pm local time.

During the whole day from 12pm....

65 Lufthansa flights flew in to Dusseldorf
45 Lufthansa flights flew out of Dusseldorf

Based on the first part, would the airline be inclined to use another aircraft rather than cancelling through? given that the stats say there should have been 5 spares just from the flight information available.

y2jammie · 22 January 2013 at 2:02PM

Cheers Centipede, would the following response be suitable do you think? (with attachments of arrival and departures on that day):

Dear Lufthansa,

The closure of Jersey Airport during this day which may have caused a Lufthansa plane to arrive late in to Dusseldorf does not account for the fact that the flight information supplied proves that there were at least 5 spare aircraft at Dusseldorf (a Lufthansa Hub) at the time of our scheduled departure, and that Lufthansa chose not to use them to fulfil our booking adequately. Lufthansa did therefore not take reasonable measures to prevent this cancellation and delay to me under EU Regulation 261/2004.

The information provided shows flight information for Lufthansa flights in and out of Dusseldorf Airport on 16 June 2012, between 12pm and 18:15pm local time – for the purposes of showing available aircraft for our 18:30pm departure which was cancelled.

It clearly shows that 40 Lufthansa flights arrived in to Dusseldorf during this time frame, and only 35 flights departed during the same time period. Therefore leaving at least 5 available aircraft to carry out this journey and avoid this cancellation and unnecessary delays to myself and the other passengers on my booking.

The actual flight slot of 18:30 would still have been available for this flight from Dusseldorf as the original flight would have still had this available time to take off, and therefore it was Lufthansa’s decision to cancel this flight rather than operational decisions outside of their control.

I look forward to hearing back from you within 14 days, following your consideration of this evidence and with regards the issuing of myself and the 3 other passengers on booking xxxxxx with compensation. Failing that I will have no choice but to take the matter further through the CAA and through a claims court.

Yours Sincerely,

KIE43132 · 13 February 2013 at 12:08PM

I have just sent a letter. I will keep you guys updated because it seems Lufthansa haven't had many claims from MSE's.

Hopefully I bring good news.

Kieran.

y2jammie · 13 February 2013 at 5:21PM

Good Luck Kieran,

I responded to Lufthansa's extraordinary circumstances response with my argument and evidence for why I felt that they had not taken reasonable measures.

It's been nearly 3 weeks now after requesting a response within 14 days but I've still not had anything back.

I'll give them another week I think (because of the recent snow issues which probably caused a lot of customer service work for them) before pressing on through the CAA and potentially a small claims court for myself and the other 3 passengers on the booking.

helenpaterson · 14 February 2013 at 5:57PM

Anyone got the address to send claim to Lufthansa? Thanks

y2jammie · 18 February 2013 at 11:44AM

I got quick responses from them by contacting them through their website contact form, they forwarded things on to relevant people. Still waiting for resolution though.

Their address on documents I was sent by them in the post was:

Lufthansa
PO Box No. 9669
Dublin 3
Ireland

Sicillian · 18 February 2013 at 8:40PM

y2jammie/centipede100

I am new to forum discussions however have read your previous comments regarding Lufthansa delays/cancellations and took the courage to write to them also last Saturday.
I used their website contact page however do you think I should post a letter directly to them? i.e. Germany/Ireland addresses
Thanks Sicillian
PS. your advice is fab!

y2jammie · 19 February 2013 at 11:16AM

Contacting them through the customer service online system seems to be the easiest way of getting in touch with them. You also have proof that they've received your issue.

They were very responsive to the process by email once they had got back to me originally, dealing with me solely online and not once asking me to post anything. They still haven't paid out and are playing hard ball, but online seems to be fine with them so wouldn't waste the money posting things to them.

Sicillian · 19 February 2013 at 11:56AM

y2jammie
Many thanks, I have just checked my emails and have received the standard reply from Lufthansa saying my claim has been passed to the relevant department and have quoted a feedback ference number.
Will definitely stick with online communication for now.
Can I ask how long ago you started process just so I have a rough idea of timeline?

Flight Delay Compensation, Lufthansa Only

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