Reporting violations of the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when traveling by air

If you are denied a flight booking or transportation on a booked flight due to a disability or reduced mobility, or if insufficient assistance is provided by the airport or airline in relation to your flight, you can file a complaint.

If you want to travel as a person with a disability or reduced mobility, you should be given the same travel opportunities as other people. Air carriers, travel companies and airports are therefore obliged to assist you in preparing and carrying out your flight.

• Airlines and travel companies may not refuse to accept your booking on the grounds of your disability or reduced mobility, nor may they deny you boarding on these grounds. Exceptions apply if restrictions result from applicable safety requirements or the size of the aircraft or its doors.
• At airports in the European Union (EU), airport operators must provide you with assistance free of charge. You must notify them of your need for assistance at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure time.
• Airlines are obliged to provide you with certain assistance on board free of charge. This applies to all flights departing from the EU and to flights from non-European countries to the EU if the operating air carrier is from the EU. You must notify the air carrier of your need for assistance at least 48 hours before departure.

If you feel that your above-mentioned rights have been violated, you should first submit a complaint to the relevant airport, travel or airline company. If you do not reach a satisfactory solution, you can file a complaint with the Federal Aviation Authority (LBA) as the complaints and enforcement body. Provide all the necessary details in the complaint form.

In the event of proven violations of the regulation, the Federal Aviation Office can impose sanctions in the form of fines on the companies concerned. This is intended to prevent future infringements from being repeated.

The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt is neither authorized to support you in enforcing any civil claims against the companies nor to advise you in this regard. You must claim individual entitlements from the company in a free arbitration procedure or, if necessary, in court.

• Notification form
• Supplementary documents to the advertisement form:
  • Booking or travel documents
  • Correspondence with the airline, airport or travel company
• Power of representation in the case of authorization

Please refer to the notification form to find out which documents are also required in your case. The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) can only process your notification if all documents relevant to the decision have been submitted. By submitting complete supporting documents, you will avoid additional inquiries during processing.

You can file a complaint if one of these cases has occurred due to a disability or reduced mobility:

• Your flight booking was not accepted with reference to your disability or reduced mobility.
• You were denied boarding on the flight you booked, despite having a valid ticket and a valid booking, with reference to your disability or reduced mobility.
• You did not receive any or insufficient assistance from the air carrier or at an airport.

In addition, the following conditions must be met:

• You have already unsuccessfully submitted your complaint to the company concerned.
• You agree that your complaint may be used as a witness statement against the airport, travel or air carrier in question in the context of administrative offense proceedings.
• The flight or attempted flight booking did not take place more than 2 years ago.

The complaint can be made by any natural or legal person.

You can also authorize another person to file a complaint by means of a power of attorney.

There is no legal remedy.

If you wish to report a violation of the rights of people with disabilities and people with reduced mobility when traveling by air, proceed as follows:

• You first submit the complaint to the company concerned.
• If you do not receive a response from them within a reasonable period of time or if you are not satisfied with the response, you can submit your complaint to the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA).
• Complete the online form via the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de.
• You can upload your documents directly. Alternatively, you can send your notification and documents to the LBA by e-mail, fax or post.
• Once the notification has been received, the LBA will send you a confirmation of receipt with a reference number.
• The LBA will check the facts of the case and contact you if anything is unclear or information is missing.
• If another national complaints and enforcement body is responsible for your case, the LBA will forward your complaint and inform you accordingly.
• If the LBA is responsible and finds a violation of the regulation, it can conduct administrative offense proceedings against the company concerned.
• A fine may be imposed for proven violations.
• The LBA will inform you when the proceedings have been completed.

More than 6 months for cases involving legal proceedings.

There are no costs.

To enforce possible civil law claims, you can contact an air traffic arbitration board (Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr e.V. or the Federal Office of Justice).