Time limit (Germany): 3-year limitation period (§195 BGB), expiring on 31 December of the third year after the flight (§199 BGB). Example: flight on 1 May 2023 → deadline 31 December 2026.

Lufthansa Flight Delayed or Cancelled? Claim up to €600

Q: Lufthansa rejected my EU261 claim — what should I do?

Lufthansa frequently rejects claims at first instance. If they refuse or do not respond within 4 weeks, you can file a free complaint with the LBA (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt) at lba.de, contact the SRV (Schlichtungsstelle Reise und Verkehr) for mediation, or file a claim at the local Amtsgericht as a last resort.

Q: My Lufthansa flight had a technical fault — am I still entitled to compensation?

Yes, in most cases. European case law establishes that a technical fault is part of an airline's normal operational risk and does not constitute an extraordinary circumstance. Lufthansa must pay unless the fault resulted from a manufacturing defect entirely outside the airline's control.

Q: Lufthansa offered me a voucher — do I have to accept it?

No. EU261 Article 7 gives you the right to a cash payment. A voucher or travel credit cannot replace your legal entitlement unless you explicitly accept it in writing. Decline and insist on a bank transfer.

Q: How long do I have to claim against Lufthansa?

In Germany, the limitation period is 3 years under §195 BGB. The deadline runs until 31 December of the third year after the flight (§199 BGB). A flight on 1 May 2023 therefore expires on 31 December 2026 — not on 1 May 2026. Act promptly while your documents are available.

Q: What happens if Lufthansa does not respond within 4 weeks?

Silence is not acceptance. If Lufthansa fails to respond after 4 weeks, file a free complaint with the LBA at lba.de or contact the SRV for out-of-court mediation. As a final step, you can file a claim at the competent Amtsgericht — in Frankfurt am Main if the flight departed from FRA.

Lufthansa (IATA: LH) is Germany's largest airline with main hubs at Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). If your Lufthansa flight was delayed by 3 hours or more, or cancelled less than 14 days before departure, EU Regulation 261/2004 entitles you to compensation of up to €600. Here is everything you need to claim successfully.

Situations covered by EU261 with Lufthansa

✓
Delay of 3 hours or more at arrival — the actual arrival time (doors open) counts, not the departure delay.
✓
Cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure — without an adequate alternative offered by Lufthansa.
✓
Flight brought forward by more than 1 hour — if you could not board at the originally scheduled time.
✓
Involuntary denied boarding — overbooking or a document issue attributable to the airline.

Lufthansa hubs in Germany: Frankfurt am Main (FRA) — main hub · Munich Franz Josef Strauß (MUC) — second hub. Lufthansa also operates from Hamburg (HAM), Berlin (BER), Düsseldorf (DUS) and other German cities.

How to claim against Lufthansa

1
Generate your formal demand letter with Claimy — in 30 seconds, with the correct legal references and exact compensation amount.
2
Send it by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to Lufthansa's official postal address:
Lufthansa Customer Relations, 60546 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
3
You can also submit a claim online via the contact form at lufthansa.com/de/de/kontakt-und-hilfe. Registered post is strongly recommended to maintain legally sound proof of the delivery date.
4
Wait for Lufthansa's response — typically 4 weeks. Lufthansa frequently refuses claims at first instance.

If Lufthansa refuses or does not reply

Lufthansa is known for systematically rejecting claims at first instance. If refused or after 4 weeks of silence, you have the following escalation options:

LBA — Luftfahrt-Bundesamt

→ National enforcement authority for EU261 in Germany
→ Free complaint online at lba.de
→ Can formally instruct Lufthansa to pay

SRV — Schlichtungsstelle Reise und Verkehr

→ Recognised out-of-court mediation body — free for consumers
→ schlichtungsstelle-reise.de — recommended before going to court

Amtsgericht (Local Civil Court)

→ Last resort: competent court at the departure airport location
→ For disputes up to €5,000 — no lawyer required

Tip: always keep your booking confirmation, boarding pass and all correspondence with Lufthansa. These documents are essential for any escalation to an authority or court.

EU261 compensation amounts — Lufthansa examples

Flight distance	Compensation	Lufthansa example
≤ 1,500 km	€250	FRA → Berlin (BER) ~460 km, MUC → Vienna (VIE) ~350 km
1,500–3,500 km or intra-EU	€400	FRA → Athens (ATH) ~1,900 km, MUC → Lisbon (LIS) ~2,200 km
> 3,500 km outside EU	€600	FRA → New York (JFK) ~6,200 km, MUC → Tokyo (NRT) ~9,300 km

Lufthansa may reduce compensation by 50% if it offered you a rerouting with a limited arrival delay.

Why use Claimy instead of a claims agency?

Services like AirHelp or Flightright charge 25 to 35% commission on your compensation. On €250, you only receive ~€175.

	Claims agency	Claimy
On €250	You receive ~€175	You receive €240.10
On €400	You receive ~€280	You receive €385.10
On €600	You receive ~€420	You receive €575.10

Claimy generates your formal demand letter in 30 seconds for a fixed fee from €9.90. You send it yourself and keep 100% of your compensation.

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Frequently asked questions — Lufthansa

Lufthansa rejected my EU261 claim — what should I do?

Lufthansa frequently rejects claims at first instance. If refused or after 4 weeks without a reply, file a free complaint with the LBA at lba.de or contact the SRV for mediation. As a last resort, bring the matter to the competent Amtsgericht. Keep all your documents.

My Lufthansa flight had a technical fault — am I still entitled to compensation?

Yes. European case law establishes that a technical fault is part of normal airline operations. Lufthansa must pay unless the fault was caused by an unforeseeable manufacturing defect entirely outside its control.

Lufthansa offered me a voucher — do I have to accept it?

No. EU261 gives you the right to a cash payment. A voucher can only replace your entitlement if you explicitly accept it in writing. Decline and insist on a bank transfer.

How long do I have to claim against Lufthansa?

In Germany, the 3-year limitation period (§195 BGB) expires on 31 December of the third year after the flight (§199 BGB). A flight on 1 May 2023 expires on 31 December 2026 — not 1 May 2026. Act promptly while your documents are available.

What happens if Lufthansa does not respond within 4 weeks?

Silence is not acceptance. After 4 weeks without a reply, file a free complaint with the LBA or contact the SRV for mediation. As a last resort, file a claim at the competent Amtsgericht — in Frankfurt am Main if the flight departed from FRA.

More information

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