AirAdvisor lands a major win against Lufthansa over the six-month claim deadline

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Last Updated: June 29, 2026

AirAdvisor has won a compensation claim against Lufthansa in which the airline tried, and failed, to have the case thrown out on a six-month time limit. The Justice of the Peace of Venice rejected that defence and ordered Lufthansa to pay in full.

The case involved a father travelling with his two young children from Venice to Brussels on 17 February 2024, connecting through Frankfurt. Their first flight landed in Frankfurt around 96 minutes late, they missed the onward connection, and Lufthansa re-routed them via Munich. They finally reached Brussels at 22:30 instead of 17:25, more than five hours behind schedule. AirAdvisor pursued the claim, and our lawyer Francesca Coppola represented both the family and AirAdvisor before the court.

Under EU261, a delay of more than three hours at the final destination on a route under 1,500 km entitles each passenger to €250. For the three travellers, who came to €750.

Lufthansa did not dispute what had happened. Instead, it argued that the claim was out of time. Its lawyers said that because EU261 sets no limitation period of its own, Italian domestic law should fill the gap, and that Article 418 of the Italian Navigation Code, borrowed from maritime law, imposes a six-month deadline running from the date of arrival. Since the first demand letter reached the airline in November 2025, almost two years after the flight, Lufthansa claimed the case was dead. It pointed to a run of Italian decisions in its favour, including a 2024 order of the Italian Supreme Court.

The Justice of the Peace, Dr Elena Biasutti, was not persuaded. She found Lufthansa's limitation arguments to be without merit and held that the airline had not supported them with sufficient evidence. On the substance, she ruled that the delay and the missed connection were proven, that Lufthansa had effectively admitted liability by not contesting the facts, and that the right to compensation arose automatically once the ticket and the delay were established.

Lufthansa was ordered to pay the €750 in compensation, plus interest, the court fee and legal costs, a total of €1,277.82.

Why this ruling matters

Airlines often lean on the six-month Navigation Code deadline to escape valid claims in Italy, and some courts have accepted it. This decision goes the other way, and it strengthens the argument AirAdvisor makes whenever an airline tries to time-bar a passenger on that basis. It does not settle the question for every Italian court, but it is a precedent we will cite in future proceedings, and it keeps the door open for passengers who might otherwise be told they waited too long.

For passengers, the message is that a delay does not expire as quickly as airlines would like you to believe. If you flew in the last couple of years and suffered a long delay or a missed connection, it could still be worth checking where you stand.

Lufthansa flight delayed or canceled? Even if it’s been more than 6 months, you can still get your compensation.Check Your Flight

Author:

Joanna Teljeur

Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead

Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development, specialising in consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work focuses on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.