"Lufthansa considers suing for Bush disruption in Germany"

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Lufthansa considers suing for Bush disruption in Germany
Agence France-Presse


FRANKFURT, (AFP) - German airline Lufthansa said on Thursday it was
considering suing security authorities for damages after it was forced to
cancel 92 flights due to US President George W. Bush's visit to Germany.

Lufthansa spokesman Thomas Jachnow estimates the disruption at Frankfurt
airport on Wednesday morning cost it several million euros.

Frankfurt, Germany's biggest airport and a major European hub for passenger
flights, was closed for more than half an hour to allow Bush's presidential
jet to land at the nearby US airbase at Rhein-Main.

The airline said this was twice as long as originally scheduled and
complained it had been informed too late of the change to make contingency
plans.

Aside from the cancellations, 335 Lufthansa flights were delayed, Jachnow
added.

Lufthansa is examining lodging a damages claims against "those authorities
that are responsible for the security measures", Jachnow said.

He added that passengers affected by the flight disruptions could not expect
to receive refunds, despite a new EU law requiring airlines to compensate
passengers for overbooked or cancelled flights.

"We won't meet claims because Lufthansa is not liable to pay damages (in
this case)," Jachnow said.

A spokesman for Frankfurt airport said on Wednesday that 104 flights were
cancelled because of the US president's arrival but added that bad weather
conditions were to blame. Snow had fallen across Germany on Wednesday.


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