Flight delays are driving complaints in Königs Wusterhausen to record levels!

Flight delays are driving complaints in Königs Wusterhausen to record levels!

A lot is happening in the world of travel, especially at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The Königs Wusterhausen district court has recorded a dramatic increase in aviation law lawsuits. About 10,000 lawsuits have already been filed in 2023, and the forecast for the full year shows that number could rise to over 22,000. For comparison: In the previous year there were around 15,500 cases. According to maz-online.de, the lawsuits mainly have to do with: Compensation for flight delays and cancellations as well as disputes with airlines and tour operators.

What is particularly striking is that around 93 percent of all civil lawsuits heard at the district court come from BER passengers. The increase is so significant that the court is considered one of the most heavily burdened in Germany. In a survey by the “Deutsche Richterzeitung” it came third in the list of courts with the highest number of cases, behind Cologne and Frankfurt/Main. A good 125,000 complaints from passengers were recorded nationwide in 2023, an increase of around 80 percent compared to the previous year, as reported by rbb24.de.

Staff shortages and AI support

In order to cope with the challenges, the district court has already increased staffing levels. There are currently 25 judges working on passenger cases, which corresponds to 19 full-time positions, while other cases are handled with just 11 employees. The court is aware of the problem because in the event of frequent delays, which are often between three and five hours, passengers resort to compensation. Federal politicians are also looking: The EU Parliament is currently discussing new regulations that stipulate that compensation should only be granted for delays of four hours, instead of three hours as was previously the case.

In order to deal with the existing lawsuits more efficiently, support from an AI-supported assistance program called “KAI” is being considered. This technology is intended to help speed up proceedings and reduce the research effort for judges. The pioneer of this technology is the district court in Frankfurt/Main, which has already had positive experiences.

The role of internet portals

A key factor in the explosion in lawsuits is the numerous online portals that help passengers enforce their claims. The German Association of Judges sees this as an important reason for the high number of lawsuits. These portals make it easier for travelers to claim compensation, which puts additional burden on the courts. The bone of contention is often flight delays and cancellations, which lead to unpleasant situations for many travelers.

With these developments it is clear that there will continue to be a lot of movement at BER Airport and the Königs Wusterhausen District Court in the future, both legally and through political decisions. The coming months could be decisive as to whether the planned EU regulations will actually lead to relief.