Thousands of passengers sue airlines in Hamburg - German courts see slight dip in airline lawsuits despite high volumes

German courts saw a slight drop in airline-related lawsuits last year, though the numbers remained high. Hamburg-Mitte District Court handled over 8,500 cases in 2025, down from more than 9,300 the previous year. Nationwide, claims fell by around 10,000 compared to 2024, with roughly 121,000 filed in total.

The bulk of cases at Hamburg-Mitte involved passenger rights disputes. While the exact figures for delay compensation claims under EU Regulation 261/2004 remain unclear, most lawsuits centred on airline passenger issues. The court also processed around 14,800 civil cases in total during 2025.

Online claim platforms have made it easier for passengers to pursue legal action, contributing to the high volume. To manage the workload, courts are exploring artificial intelligence to speed up processing. However, AI systems are still in testing and not yet fully operational. Despite the slight decline, the number of cases remains significant. No specific airlines were named as the most affected in the available data.

The decrease in lawsuits suggests a minor shift, but passenger claims continue to dominate court dockets. With AI tools still under development, processing times may not improve immediately. The trend highlights ongoing challenges for both airlines and the legal system in handling large volumes of disputes.