For directly connecting flights booked as one journey, delay at the final destination may be decisive even where the first flight departed with a relatively short delay.
Legal conditions
Flymoney checks whether the segments formed one booking, which final destination appeared on the ticket and when that destination was actually reached. The Folkerts judgment confirms that final arrival delay may determine fixed compensation. Separate tickets and self arranged connections require a different analysis.
Evidence for the specific flight
Keep the full booking containing every segment, boarding passes, gate changes, minimum connection time, rerouting records and the actual arrival of the replacement flight. Record whether the carrier closed the connection or offered later transport.
Common airline defences
The carrier may dispute that the itinerary was a single booking or invoke extraordinary circumstances affecting the causative segment. Routes involving third countries may raise complex scope questions. The marketing carrier and operating carrier must be distinguished.
Other rights beyond fixed compensation
Where the conditions are met, compensation is calculated by reference to the final destination. Rerouting and care may also apply. If the missed connection made the journey pointless, return transport to the first point of departure can become relevant.
Next steps without losing evidence
Combine all flight segments in one dossier and do not calculate only the first flight delay. Record actual final arrival, then assess territorial scope, cause and the rerouting provided.
Detailed legal assessment
For Missed connection: compensation at the final destination, territorial scope, the responsible operating carrier, the timeline, the cause and the specific legal consequence must be established separately. An airline’s internal status code is not decisive; verifiable facts are. On a single booking, delay at the last destination is normally decisive even where the first flight was only moderately late. The review must also distinguish fixed compensation, reimbursement, rerouting, care and proven additional loss.
Decision matrix for the claim review
This matrix prevents separate legal bases from being mixed together.
| Review question | Required evidence | Legal significance |
|---|---|---|
| Was there one booking? | booking confirmation and ticket numbers | Allows final-destination assessment. |
| Why was the connection missed? | arrival, gate and minimum connection times | Links the feeder delay to the missed segment. |
| Who operated each segment? | carrier and aircraft data | Identifies the potential respondent. |
| When was the final destination reached? | replacement flight and door opening | Determines possible compensation. |
Evidence checklist for the file
A robust file contains more than a booking confirmation. For Missed connection: compensation at the final destination, the following material should in particular be preserved:
- single booking reference for all segments
- complete itinerary and connection times
- boarding passes for all flights
- actual arrival at final destination
- rerouting and transfer information
Case law and practical significance
The judgment in Folkerts, case C-11/11 is particularly relevant to this subject. The Court held that, on a single booking, delay at the final destination may be decisive even where the feeder flight itself was delayed by less than three hours. The judgment does not replace an individual review, but it identifies the legally decisive facts and prevents unsupported airline assertions from being accepted at face value.
Strategic order of assessment
A reliable assessment follows a fixed order:
- Determine whether all flight legs formed part of one booking.
- Record the original connection time and cause of the first disruption.
- Preserve rerouting and actual arrival at the final destination.
- Identify the carrier that actually operated the disrupted leg.
- Separate compensation, care and necessary additional expenses.
Related assessment routes
This assessment often connects with other subjects:
Check my missed connection · Legal review and editorial responsibility
Frequently asked questions
Must every flight be on one booking?
For treatment as a protected connection, a single booking is normally central. Separately purchased tickets are generally assessed differently even if the flights were practically coordinated.
Does the delay of the first or last flight count?
For a protected connection, arrival at the final destination is generally decisive. A small feeder delay can cause a very long final delay.
Who is responsible where different airlines operate the segments?
That depends on the disrupted segment, actual operation and booking structure. Codeshare and connection case law must be considered.
Is an insufficient connection time a defence?
An officially sold itinerary indicates that the connection was considered feasible. Late presentation or separate tickets can change the assessment.
Which costs after a missed connection matter?
Keep receipts for meals, hotel, transfer and necessary replacement transport. Also record the rerouting offered and actual arrival.