German flag carrier Lufthansa is offering holidaymakers compensation if their hoped-for sun-drenched summer holiday is washed out, the company said on Wednesday.

Sun worshippers can claim ?20 for every rainy day, up to a maximum of ?200, the firm said.

Lufthansa defines a rainy day as one during which at least five millimetres of rain per square metre falls. "If the sunny stay hoped for by many is spoiled by rain, maybe ?20 compensation ... will brighten the mood," said the airline in a statement.

The offer applies to 36 European and worldwide destinations, including Barcelona, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome, Dubai, Cairo, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington.

The deal came days after Lufthansa posted a weak set of results, with passenger numbers down nearly five percent on the previous year as airlines globally struggle in the teeth of the financial crisis.