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Airlines warned over compensation Airlines warned over compensation
(about 2 hours later)
Brussels has given airlines and national governments six months to make sure passengers get proper compensation for delayed or cancelled flights.Brussels has given airlines and national governments six months to make sure passengers get proper compensation for delayed or cancelled flights.
For the last two years, airlines should have been paying passengers up to 600 euros (£400) for a cancelled flight.For the last two years, airlines should have been paying passengers up to 600 euros (£400) for a cancelled flight.
However, the European Commission says passengers are often not informed of their rights, and thousands each year say they have not received payouts.However, the European Commission says passengers are often not informed of their rights, and thousands each year say they have not received payouts.
The commission is threatening legal action unless the law is made to work.The commission is threatening legal action unless the law is made to work.
It will be carrying out its own checks at airports over the next six months. It will be carrying out checks at airports over the next six months.
"We must make sure that airlines and member states fully comply with their obligations," said Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot."We must make sure that airlines and member states fully comply with their obligations," said Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot.
Confusion
An independent study prepared for the European Commission said the regulation, introduced in February 2005, appeared to have had little effect on the level of delays, cancellations and overbooking.
COMMISSION PRIORITIES Improving enforcement by national authoritiesClarifying the way airlines and member states interpret the regulationsDefining the difference between delays and cancellationsStrengthening the role of the national enforcement bodies
It blamed "ineffective enforcement" by member states and the wording of the law, which it said was unclear.
Most national authorities had not imposed any fines on airlines that failed to comply with the directive, the study said, despite having received thousands of complaints.
In cases where fines had been imposed, they had often not been paid, and the maximum fine was too low to be an effective sanction in several member states - such as Latvia, where it was a mere 215 euros.
Problems with the text of the law included a failure to define the "extraordinary circumstances" in which airlines can cancel a flight without paying compensation - with the result that many airlines adopted a definition "which includes almost every possible explanation for a cancellation".
The term "delay" was also undefined, the study said, leading to confusion about whether a delay of many hours counted as a cancellation.
Complaints increasingComplaints increasing
An independent study prepared for the European Commission found that passengers whose flight left up to 30 hours late were sometimes being compensated according to the rules for a delay rather than a cancellation.
COMMISSION PRIORITIES Improving enforcement by national authoritiesClarifying the way airlines and member states interpret the regulationsDefining the difference between delays and cancellationsStrengthening the role of the national enforcement bodies It also found that there were many different interpretations of the "exceptional circumstances" that allow airlines to delay or cancel flights without offering compensation.
Meanwhile, maximum fines for airlines that violate the regulation can be as low as 215 euros in one country, or as high as 4m euros in another.
The commission says the number of complaints from people who say they were not properly compensated has been increasing.The commission says the number of complaints from people who say they were not properly compensated has been increasing.
The commission itself received 4,000 complaints last year, while national authorities received more than 18,000 complaints between February 2005 and September 2006. The commission received 4,000 complaints last year, while national authorities received more than 18,000 complaints between February 2005 and September 2006.
Rail and boat travel Low-cost airlines... appear to be unwilling to organise re-routing through other carriers, leaving passengers stranded for days at regional airports Commission report The commission is planning to bring forward legislation soon to ensure rail and boat passengers are better compensated for delays and cancellations, so it is keen to ensure the law on compensation for air travellers is working properly first.
The commission is planning to bring forward legislation soon to ensure rail and boat passengers are better compensated for delays and cancellations, so it is keen to ensure that the law on compensation for air travellers is working properly first. The 2005 regulation lays down minimum standards of compensation and assistance in the event of overbooking, cancellations, delays and involuntary downgrading.
Low-cost airlines... appear to be unwilling to organise re-routing through other carriers, leaving passengers stranded for days at regional airports Commission report The 2005 regulation laid down minimum standards of compensation and assistance for air passengers in the event of overbooking, cancellations, long delays and involuntary downgrading. Depending on the circumstances, it requires airlines to:
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  • Provide passengers with assistance such as accommodation, refreshments, meals and telephone calls
  • Offer re-routing and/or a refund
  • Pay compensation of up to 600 euros per passenger
  • Inform passengers about their rights
Depending on the circumstances, the regulation requires airlines to:
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  • Provide passengers with assistance such as accommodation, refreshments, meals and telephone calls
  • Offer re-routing and/or a refund
  • Pay compensation of up to 600 euros per passenger
  • Inform passengers about their rights
 The commission, in its report issued on Wednesday, is critical of low-cost airlines, which it says "appear to be unwilling to organise re-routing through other carriers, leaving passengers stranded for days at regional airports".
The commission is critical of low-cost airlines, which it says "appear to be unwilling to organise re-routing through other carriers, leaving passengers stranded for days at regional airports."
It adds: "In these cases, some airlines reportedly refuse to provide appropriate assistance and hotel accommodation, or even to refund passengers."It adds: "In these cases, some airlines reportedly refuse to provide appropriate assistance and hotel accommodation, or even to refund passengers."