Hamburg Airport: How to get to your destination – or money – in the event of a flight cancellation
Created: 06/13/2022, 17:47
By: Kevin Goonewardena
During the summer holidays, the Lufthansa Group canceled 1,000 connections in July alone.
Hamburg is also affected.
How travelers get their money or alternative flights.
Hamburg – This year's summer holidays in Hamburg begin on July 7th.
For most people, this will be the first longer holiday since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic more than two years ago, or the first trip without corona restrictions.
But for so many vacationers who wanted to start their vacation from Hamburg Airport, the trouble will begin before departure.
Because Germany's largest airline, Lufthansa, has already announced that it will cancel around 1,000 Europe-wide flights in July.
Hundreds are added to the low-cost subsidiary Eurowings, the largest airline stationed in Fuhlsbüttel, as reported by 24hamburg.de.
The Hamburg consumer center reveals what rights consumers now have and what you can do if your flight is cancelled.
Surname: | Hamburg Airport (Hamburg Airport Helmut Schmidt) |
Address: | airport street 1-3, 22335 Hamburg |
Number of passengers before Corona: | 17.3 million (2019) |
Number of passengers during Corona: | 5.3 million (2021) |
Flight cancellation: Hamburg Consumer Center gives travelers advice and assistance
Lawyer Julia Rehberg heads the areas of telecommunications, trade and collective legal protection at the Hamburger Verbraucherzentrale (vzhh), an association organized on a voluntary basis.
Rehberg now explained to the NDR what travelers are generally entitled to when flights are cancelled.
And what is worth fighting for.
If there are 14 days or less between the cancellation and departure, I am usually also entitled to a compensation payment.
Julia Rehberg, Hamburg Consumer Center, in conversation with the NDR
The rules are set by the legislature with the so-called passenger rights regulation, according to Rehberg.
A summary of the regulation can be found, for example, on the official website of the federal government.
Flight canceled - what rights do I have then?
When asked about the current cancellation of the flight connection by the Lufthansa Group, which is more than 14 days in the future, Rehberg advises in an interview with the NDR to first contact the airline itself.
"In our opinion, as a consumer advice center, it cannot be the case that an airline concludes a contract with a customer and afterwards says: No, I'm not going to do that," said the consumer advocate.
This board at Hamburg Airport announces the canceled connections with "Cancelled".
The Hamburg consumer advice center reveals what passengers are entitled to in the event of a flight cancellation.
© Hanno Bode/Imago
Flight canceled - what alternatives are there?
If a flight is cancelled, the airline usually offers the passengers concerned an alternative.
According to Rehberg, however, the travel conditions must be comparable to the canceled flight.
The alternative flight must also take place at the earliest possible time.
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Alternative flight connection: I do not agree with the alternative, what can I do?
The flight is cancelled, the airline offers an alternative, but the passenger does not agree with the proposal, but is dependent on the flight and has therefore independently searched for an alternative connection.
What now?
According to the consumer advice center, the airline must pay the other airline for any additional costs of the alternative.
I am always entitled to a refund if the flight is cancelled.
So I have the opportunity to say I don't want to anymore, I want my money back - but then I won't get to my goal either.
Julia Rehburg, Hamburg consumer center, in conversation with the NDR
Flight canceled - airline does not fly daily: what does that mean for me?
While major European cities and classic holiday destinations are usually served daily, other destinations are only served a few times a week or even weekly.
What does such a situation mean for affected passengers?
Under these circumstances, can the planned journey only be started with a few days or even an even longer delay?
That could well be a point of contention between the airline and the passenger, says Rehberg.
The consumer advice center is of the opinion that an airline must also pay the passenger for a flight with another airline if this takes place "significantly earlier".
Flight canceled – who pays my follow-up costs?
According to the Hamburg consumer advice center, the airline must also bear the follow-up costs, such as hotel costs.
Unless the airline can prove that they are not at fault for the cancellation of the flight.
However, there is also an obligation to mitigate damage for the passenger, i.e. he must keep the damage as low as possible.
If there is an alternative flight on the same day and costs less than the follow-up costs that would arise, this must be taken.
The airline can also limit the consequential damage to "grossly negligent behavior" in its terms and conditions - which would first have to be proven.
I have booked a package tour, what am I entitled to if my flight is cancelled?
If flights are canceled as part of a package tour, the tour operator and not the airline is the right contact person.
The tour operator must take care of the alternative flight.
If it is lost later and one or more vacation days are lost, there is a claim against the tour operator for the lost vacation days on site, explains Julia Rehberg in the NDR Info interview.
