does my local small claims court have jurisdiction?

[john256]

What is the name of your state? mi

I bought an airline ticket over the internet for which they made me pay a fee (that I disagree with) in Germany. I understand the court where the disputed transaction takes place has jurisdiction. So, is the fee still considered related to the original internet purchase, and if so, could my local court have jurisdiction?

More specifically, I bought the Detroit-Duesseldorf ticket from the airline's website. On the return, at the Duesseldorf check-in counter, they refused to let me proceed to the gate 55 minutes prior to departure. I was forced to pay a $200/ticket rebooking fee to return the next day. The airline website says you "should" be there 2 hours before and can be denied boarding if you are not at the gate 30 minutes prior to departure. The rebooking agent (not the same person who initially denied me boarding) said that they can't check bags within an hour of departure but that I should have been allowed to board otherwise. I had no bags to check (just carry-on) so this would not have been an issue.

 

[justalayman]

regardless of correct jurisdiction, how do you propose collecting from a foreign entity if you should win?

 

[Zigner]

Sue them for what? Your own poor timing?

In any case, to answer your question, American courts would NOT have jurisdiction in this. You bought the ticket presumably based on foreign jurisdiction, and the incident in which you claim to be damaged occurred outside the US.

You have learned a $200 lesson - next time, leave the hotel a bit earlier.

 

[john256]

"Sue them for what? Your own poor timing?"

For refund of the rebooking fee. The terms of the ticket were to be at the gate 30 minutes prior to departure. I was refused a boarding ticket 55 minutes prior to departure. The next agent confirmed I should have been allowed to proceed but by then it was too late. Due to the mistake of the gate agent representing the U.S. airline I incurred $200 per ticket + hotel + lost work.

Just to clarify, the terms of the ticket were purchased and agreed to in the U.S., and it's a U.S. airline. The rebooking did occur in Germany.