Missed your flight? It's your own fault! Why slow security checks do not justify compensation

Too late is too late - even when things get tight

Suitcases dropped off, then to security - and suddenly the gate is already closed. This is exactly what happened to a couple at Hahn Airport. Their flight to Thessaloniki took off without them, and they blamed the security check for being too slow. The case ended up in court - with a clear result: no right to compensation.

The Koblenz Regional Court (case no. 1 O 114/24) dismissed the action. Reasoning: Anyone who arrives at the airport only 1 hour and 45 minutes before departure is taking a risk - even if it is early in the morning and the airport seems manageable.

Security check as an excuse? Not with the court

The plaintiff argued that the checks were "slow and sluggish" and that the staffing capacity was insufficient. Other passengers had also missed their flight. However, the court made short work of the case: these statements could not be substantiated and the airport rejected all allegations.

In addition: the recommendations of airlines and airports are clear - you should be there at least two hours before departure, and often even three hours for international flights. If you don't take this seriously, you won't be able to make excuses about external circumstances later on. Even if something doesn't run smoothly, it is the passenger's responsibility to plan enough buffer time.

No compensation, no sympathy from the court

In the end, all that remains for the couple is annoyance - and the realization that if you arrive late, you not only miss the flight, but also the chance of legal redress. The court made it clear that the state is not liable if individual passengers do not adapt their personal scheduling to the general recommendations.

Incidentally, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which operates the airport, has also emphasized that there were no extraordinary delays or traffic jams on that day. No other complaints were known. The plaintiff was unable to prove the opposite - a key point that influenced the decision.

Courts are not a substitute for poor travel planning

The ruling is a real wake-up call for all latecomers and high-risk flyers. Anyone who thinks they can sprint through security with sporting punctuality is playing with their boarding pass. The fact that people then try to blame the state or the airport afterwards is not tenable from a legal point of view - and shows a certain lack of reality.

If you plan at the last minute, you shouldn't be surprised if you miss your flight. So it's better to leave earlier - and sit relaxed at the gate as a reward.