Cases

The claimants had booked flights from NYC to LON and then on to STR. Due to a break down of the computer systems at JFK aiport (which all in all lasted for 13 hrs), the claimants' flight to LON started 2 hrs late and they missed their conncetion flight to STR. They were rebooked to an alternative flight and reached their final destination with a delay of about 9 hrs. Their claim for compensation under Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 remained unsuccessful at all court levels.

Under German law, any coach transport operator providing a regular cross-border service within the Schengen area to Germany must check the passports and residence permits of the passengers before they cross the German border in order to prevent a transport of third-country nationals not in possession of those travel documents to German territory.

According to Article 17 of the MC, an air carrier is liable for damage sustained in case of death or bodily injury of a passenger upon condition only that the accident which caused the death or injury took place on board the aircraft or in the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking. In Saks v Air France, the US Supreme Court has defined the term "accident" as "an unexpected or unusual event or happening that is external to the passenger" and caused the injury.

The plaintiffs had booked tickets for a Lufthansa flight from Hamburg via Frankfurt to Miami and back from Los Angeles via Frankfurt to Hamburg. The ticket price was EUR 2.766,32 and according to the tariff, the ticket was non-refundable (except applicable taxes only). Because of a disease, the plaintiffs cancelled their tickets and claimed back the ticket price. Lufthansa only refunded taxes of EUR 133,56 each. The plaintiffs filed a law suit for the difference which was dismissed by the first instance court (AG Köln) and their appeal was dismissed as well.