Lufthansa Flight Delayed or Cancelled? Claim Up to €600 Under EU261
Lufthansa is Germany's flagship carrier — and like all EU carriers, it's legally required to pay fixed EU261 compensation when flights are significantly delayed or cancelled. Long-haul intercontinental routes (Frankfurt–New York, Munich–Tokyo) qualify for the maximum €600 per person.
German law: 3-year claim window
Under German statute of limitations, Lufthansa EU261 claims can be filed up to 3 years after the flight date. A delayed Lufthansa flight from 2023 may still be claimable.
Am I eligible?
Compensation amounts
| Flight distance | Example routes | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | Frankfurt–London, Munich–Paris | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | Frankfurt–Cairo, Munich–Dubai | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | Frankfurt–New York, Munich–Tokyo | €600 |
How to file your Lufthansa EU261 claim
- 1
Submit via Lufthansa's online portal
Lufthansa has a customer relations form. Include your booking reference, flight number, and a description of the disruption. They typically respond within 4–6 weeks.
Lufthansa EU261 portal → - 2
Escalate to SÖP or Luftfahrt-Bundesamt
If Lufthansa denies or doesn't respond, escalate to the Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr (SÖP) — Germany's public transport arbitration body. Free and binding.
SÖP arbitration (Germany) → - 3
Use a flight compensation service
AirHelp specialises in Lufthansa claims including long-haul routes. No upfront cost — they take ~25% only when they win for you.
Check via AirHelp →
Lufthansa denial tactics to watch for
- →Citing "ATC restrictions" as extraordinary circumstances — valid only for genuine national ATC strikes, not normal congestion
- →Technical issues on aircraft — established case law confirms this is NOT extraordinary circumstances
- →Offering Miles & More points instead of cash — you can insist on cash compensation
- →Sending a generic "extraordinary circumstances" rejection — demand a specific written explanation
Find forgotten Lufthansa claims in your inbox
SubRadar scans Gmail and Outlook for Lufthansa booking confirmations from the past 3 years and surfaces potential EU261 claims.
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