If you have to wait at the airport, you have a right to care.
In most cases, this means free food and free hotel accommodation.
If your Lufthansa flight is delayed, cancelled last-minute, or changed, you are entitled to certain services free of charge. If your wait is 3 hours or more, you should receive complimentary meals and drinks. If there is an overnight delay, Lufthansa should provide you with a free hotel stay.
Right to Care From Lufthansa
According European law, air passengers have a right to care.
This means that passengers traveling within Europe or on European airlines have the right to receive care, which Lufthansa offers for most of its flights to and from the European Union. This is mandated by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.
Short Delays (3+ Hours)
You can get: food and refreshments.
If your delay is three or more hours but still relatively brief and occurs during the daytime, Lufthansa is required to provide you with complimentary meals and refreshments. You will also be offered two free phone calls, emails, or faxes. All of this is offered in the form of coupons.
Long Delays (Overnight)
You can get: food, drinks, hotel stay and airport transfer.
If your flight is delayed overnight, Lufthansa will provide you with free accommodation, airport transfers, food, and drinks. If you haven’t been informed about these arrangements, please contact Lufthansa as soon as possible.
How to Get Free Food and Free Hotel Accommodation?
In case of a long wait at the airport, Lufthansa should automatically provide you with amenities such as free food, free hotel accommodation and free airport transfer. You do not need to request these; they should be offered to you during the waiting period.
If these services are not offered, it’s important to approach the Lufthansa customer service counter and inquire about them. The airline is bound by European law to provide these services free of charge for qualifying delays.
On rare occasions, if the airline fails to arrange these services for you, you may have to arrange them yourself. Keep all receipts and proof of purchase related to food, drink, transfer, and hotel stays. Once you have these, you can submit a request for reimbursement to Lufthansa, detailing your expenses during the delay. Ensure you provide all necessary details to make the reimbursement process smoother.
Extraordinary Circumstances
First, let’s begin with the definition.
What Are Extraordinary Circumstances?
Extraordinary circumstances refer to any events that are beyond the control of the airline, resulting in flight delays, cancellations, or changes. These may include severe weather conditions, labor strikes unrelated to the airline, security risks, political instability, or sudden technical issues that affect the safety of the flight.
In such situations, despite the inconvenience caused, the airline is not obligated to provide compensation as they are deemed exempt under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. However, the right to care, as described above, still applies.
Are Technical Problems Considered Extraordinary Circumstances?
Technical problems, in most cases, are not considered extraordinary circumstances under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The regulation specifically states that technical issues that occur due to the normal operation of an airline aren’t deemed extraordinary, as these are matters within the control of the airline.
These could include routine maintenance or minor repairs. Such issues are part of the standard responsibilities of an airline and, as such, cannot be used as an exemption from providing compensation or care to passengers.
However, if a technical defect is sudden, unexpected, and affects the safety of the flight—such as a critical failure of the aircraft’s flight systems—this may be classified as extraordinary. This is because these situations are rare, immediately endanger the safe operation of the aircraft, and are not part of the airline’s regular technical operations.
Right to Care in Extraordinary Circumstances
Even in the event of extraordinary circumstances, passengers have the right to care.
While Lufthansa may not be obligated to provide compensation for delays or cancellations caused by situations beyond their control, they are still required to ensure your comfort during the waiting period. Provision of food, refreshments, and accommodation, in case of significant delays, falls under this obligation.
The same principle applies when it comes to offering an alternative mode of transportation in case the flight gets cancelled – you have a right to that.
Right to Care: FAQ
In this section, we will address some of the most commonly asked questions about passengers’ right to care during flight delays and cancellations with Lufthansa.
What Is the Right to Care?
The right to care refers to the obligations airlines have towards their passengers in case of flight delays, overbooking and flight cancellations. Under European law, airlines are required to ensure passengers’ comfort during these circumstances, which includes providing free meals, refreshments, and accommodation in the case of significant delays.
How Do I Get My “Right to Care” If My Flight Is Delayed?
If your flight is delayed by 3 hours or more, Lufthansa should automatically provide you with amenities such as free meals and refreshments, and necessary accommodation in the case of overnight delays.
If these services are not offered, approach the Lufthansa customer service counter at the airport to inquire about them. Alternatively, you can personally cover the cost of the services and then file a claim for reimbursement at a later time. The sooner you do the latter, the better.
Do I Have the Right to Care If My Flight Is Cancelled?
Yes, if your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to the right to care.
This means Lufthansa is required to provide you with meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if necessary), as well as an alternative method of transportation to your destination. If the cancellation is due to the airline’s fault, you also have a right to flight cancellation compensation.
Are Extraordinary Circumstances an Exception to the Right to Care?
No, even in the event of extraordinary circumstances, which are situations beyond the control of the airline, the right to care still applies.
This means that even if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to severe weather conditions, security risks, or labor strikes, you are still entitled to free meals, refreshments, and accommodation (if necessary).
How Do I Request Reimbursement If I Had to Arrange for My Accommodation and Meals?
If you had to arrange for your meals, accommodation, or airport transfers due to Lufthansa’s failure to do so, keep all receipts and proof of purchase. You can submit these, along with a detailed account of your expenses during the delay, to Lufthansa for reimbursement.
Please note that this policy only applies to essential expenses, not anything else. Don’t expect to spend large sums on extravagant meals and get reimbursement from the airline.
Does the Right to Care Apply to All Lufthansa Flights?
The right to care applies to all Lufthansa flights to and from Europe.
Since Lufthansa is an EU airline, the right to care under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies to all of its flights both departing from and arriving in Europe. However, it’s crucial to note that with non-European airlines, this regulation only applies to flights that are departing from Europe. Flights on non-European airlines that are arriving in Europe from other parts of the world are not covered under this European law.
Does All Of This Apply Only to Europeans?
No, the right to care applies to all passengers on Lufthansa flights regardless of their nationality.
The laws that give passengers the right to care are Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and Regulation UK261, which were created by the European Union and UK government. These regulations state that any airline operating in Europe must provide care and compensation for affected passengers when applicable. This means that the right to care applies to all passengers on Lufthansa flights, regardless of their nationality.
The only exception is in the case of non-European airlines, where this regulation applies only to flights departing from Europe and not those arriving in Europe from other parts of the world.
By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.