How to claim Lufthansa compensation: an evidence-first process

The strongest Lufthansa claim is not the longest. It lets a reviewer answer five questions without reconstructing the trip: who travelled, who operated, which rule applied, what happened and how the requested total was calculated.

Step 1: identify the operating airline

An LH flight number is a marketing clue, not final proof. The service may be operated by Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Lufthansa City Airlines, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti or another partner. EU261 normally places disruption duties on the operating air carrier.

Check the e-ticket and boarding pass for "operated by." Save the carrier code and every sector. If the affected flight was partner-operated, use the Lufthansa Group operating-carrier guide before addressing the request.

Do not send the same demand indiscriminately to every company in the group. That creates conflicting records and gives each recipient an easy reason to redirect the file.

Step 2: choose the governing regime

Some UK-EU routes sit inside both retained UK law and EU law. One disruption does not produce two fixed payments. Pick a coherent primary basis, currency and forum. The UK261 versus EU261 article provides a route table.

Step 3: classify the disruption

Use the category that matches the facts:

• delay: final arrival at least three hours late;
• cancellation: the planned flight did not operate as booked;
• denied boarding: the passenger presented correctly but was refused involuntarily;
• downgrade: carriage occurred in a lower cabin;
• baggage: proven loss under the Montreal Convention, separate from EU261;
• care expense: reasonable cost Lufthansa should have supplied during waiting.

A schedule change may legally be a cancellation, especially when departure was moved more than one hour earlier. A diversion can be cancellation or delay depending on whether Lufthansa completed transport to the booked destination. Name the legal effect as well as the airline's label.

Step 4: calculate each head separately

EU261 fixed payments are EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600 by distance. UK261 uses GBP 220, GBP 350 and GBP 520, with GBP 260 for a long flight arriving between three and four hours late. The distance to the final destination on one booking normally controls.

Write a simple schedule:

Shared costs should be claimed once, while fixed compensation is per eligible passenger. A ticket bought with Miles & More may still qualify because publicly available frequent-flyer tickets are included by Article 3(3).

Use the Lufthansa compensation calculator to check the amount before filing.

Step 5: build the evidence bundle

Create one folder containing:

1. e-ticket receipt and original schedule;
2. booking reference and passenger list;
3. boarding passes for original and replacement flights;
4. messages from Lufthansa, the airport or travel agent;
5. actual final-arrival evidence;
6. the "operated by" line;
7. itemised receipts and proof of payment;
8. baggage PIR where relevant;
9. authority from every represented adult.

Screenshots should show date and context. A cropped number without the flight or passenger name is weak. Keep original files as well as a combined PDF, because the form may accept separate uploads but a later decision-maker needs a readable chronology.

Step 6: write the claim

Open with a direct request and then give facts in order. A useful structure is:

I claim EUR 600 per passenger under Articles 5 and 7 of Regulation 261/2004 for the cancellation of the Lufthansa-operated journey listed below. We were informed two days before travel, accepted rerouting and reached the final destination 11 hours late.

Then list flight date, route, scheduled times, actual times, passenger names, operating airline, booking reference and evidence. Address any known cause without speculating. If Lufthansa said "weather," ask for the weather event, time, affected flight and reasonable measures.

Put refund, compensation and expenses under separate headings. State the total only after showing the components. Provide bank details through the secure form, not an unsecured public message.

Step 7: submit through the correct Lufthansa route

Lufthansa's passenger-rights page directs passengers with a claim to Lufthansa Feedback. The post-flight form asks for the journey and allows attachments. Select Lufthansa only where it operated the affected sector; the same form can display other group and partner carriers.

Save the submission confirmation, reference number and exact attachments. If the page fails, take a screenshot and try the Help and Contact route. Avoid sending repeated identical submissions because Lufthansa warns that duplicates can delay processing.

For refund alone, "My bookings," the Chat Assistant or the manual refund form may be more direct. For delayed or damaged baggage, use the dedicated baggage report and reimbursement form. The Lufthansa compensation form guide explains that routing in detail.

Step 8: evaluate the response

An acceptance should identify passengers, amount, currency and payment method. Compare it with the schedule. A EUR 300 payment may be correct for a long flight arriving under four hours late, but it needs the correct distance and timing.

A refusal should identify a legal and factual reason. Do not answer "I disagree" alone. Ask for the missing evidence, correct any wrong route or operator assumption and cite the exact rule. If Lufthansa does not answer within two months, or if its handling remains unsatisfactory, an eligible private-travel dispute can proceed to Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr under Lufthansa's published process.

The future EU rule allowing nine months to file and giving airlines 30 days to respond was adopted in 2026 but is not applicable on 10 August 2026. Current limitation keeps running while correspondence is exchanged unless applicable law provides otherwise.

FAQ

Where do I submit a Lufthansa compensation claim?

Lufthansa directs post-flight passenger-rights claims to Lufthansa Feedback. Refund and baggage matters also have dedicated channels, so choose the form matching the remedy.

Do I need a boarding pass?

It is strong evidence but not always the only proof of travel. Submit the e-ticket, check-in record, baggage tag, messages and any replacement pass if the original is missing.

Can one person claim for the whole family?

They can organise the file, but each adult claimant may need to authorise representation. List every passenger and calculate fixed compensation individually.

Should I claim expenses and fixed compensation together?

They may be submitted in one organised file, but use separate headings and totals because their legal tests and evidence differ.

How long should I wait before escalating?

Lufthansa's published German arbitration route permits eligible private cases after an unsatisfactory response or no response within two months. Do not let the court limitation expire while waiting.

Official sources

• Lufthansa passenger rights: claim and arbitration route.
• Lufthansa post-flight Feedback: secure journey form.
• Lufthansa Help and Contact: remedy-specific support choices.
• Regulation 261/2004: current statutory basis.
• Commission guidance: official case-law interpretation.
• Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr: independent German dispute route.