EU law gives air travellers new deal
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EU law gives air travellers new deal
From The Irish Times:
EU law gives air travellers new deal
"Air travellers will have additional rights from next Thursday, when new EU legislation comes into force.
The legislation will increase the level of compensation airlines must pay to passengers who have lost their seats because the airline overbooked the flight.
It will also introduce new rights to compensation for long delays or where a flight has been cancelled.
Passengers will also be entitled to claim a maximum of more than €1,000 in compensation where there is destruction of baggage or the loss or delay of luggage on a flight by an EU airline anywhere in the world.
The Department of Transport is in discussion with the Attorney General's Office to approve an enforcement body to deal with complaints arising from the new legislation.
From next Thursday, if an airline is short of seats because it has overbooked a flight, it must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for agreed benefits. If a sufficient number of passengers do not volunteer to give up their seats, the airline will then have to compensate those passengers who are denied boarding.
Compensation will range from €250 to €600, depending on the distance flown.
This is double the compensation offered by airlines under previous legislation passed by the EU in 1991.
In addition, the airline must offer passengers the choice of a ticket refund or a flight back to their original point of departure if the journey is no longer worthwhile.
The airline may also offer passengers an alternative flight to continue their journey.
Meals, refreshments and accommodation must be provided if an overnight stay is required.
If a flight is delayed by between two and four hours - depending on the length of the flight - the airline must provide meals and refreshments, and accommodation where an overnight stay is requested.
If the delay is more than five hours, passengers are entitled to a refund of the price of their air ticket.
Up to now, specific air passenger rights only applied to scheduled flights departing from an EU member-state. The new law extends these rights to charter and domestic flights.
The law also applies to flights from an airport outside the EU if the destination is within the EU.
Passengers will also have new rights if their flights are cancelled.
If the cancellation is within the airline's control, passengers must be paid compensation on the same basis as overbooked passengers. However, if the airline has given them at least two weeks' notice of the cancellation, or has provided suitable alternative flights, then compensation is not obligatory.
If the cancellation causes delays of five hours or more, passengers are also entitled to an alternative flight or a ticket refund and a flight back to the original point of departure if the delayed journey is no longer worthwhile."
EU law gives air travellers new deal
"Air travellers will have additional rights from next Thursday, when new EU legislation comes into force.
The legislation will increase the level of compensation airlines must pay to passengers who have lost their seats because the airline overbooked the flight.
It will also introduce new rights to compensation for long delays or where a flight has been cancelled.
Passengers will also be entitled to claim a maximum of more than €1,000 in compensation where there is destruction of baggage or the loss or delay of luggage on a flight by an EU airline anywhere in the world.
The Department of Transport is in discussion with the Attorney General's Office to approve an enforcement body to deal with complaints arising from the new legislation.
From next Thursday, if an airline is short of seats because it has overbooked a flight, it must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for agreed benefits. If a sufficient number of passengers do not volunteer to give up their seats, the airline will then have to compensate those passengers who are denied boarding.
Compensation will range from €250 to €600, depending on the distance flown.
This is double the compensation offered by airlines under previous legislation passed by the EU in 1991.
In addition, the airline must offer passengers the choice of a ticket refund or a flight back to their original point of departure if the journey is no longer worthwhile.
The airline may also offer passengers an alternative flight to continue their journey.
Meals, refreshments and accommodation must be provided if an overnight stay is required.
If a flight is delayed by between two and four hours - depending on the length of the flight - the airline must provide meals and refreshments, and accommodation where an overnight stay is requested.
If the delay is more than five hours, passengers are entitled to a refund of the price of their air ticket.
Up to now, specific air passenger rights only applied to scheduled flights departing from an EU member-state. The new law extends these rights to charter and domestic flights.
The law also applies to flights from an airport outside the EU if the destination is within the EU.
Passengers will also have new rights if their flights are cancelled.
If the cancellation is within the airline's control, passengers must be paid compensation on the same basis as overbooked passengers. However, if the airline has given them at least two weeks' notice of the cancellation, or has provided suitable alternative flights, then compensation is not obligatory.
If the cancellation causes delays of five hours or more, passengers are also entitled to an alternative flight or a ticket refund and a flight back to the original point of departure if the delayed journey is no longer worthwhile."
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You'll find that most airlines would have been doing a 'dummy run' in the last few months to try an establish how much it would cost in reality. Also, before the legal depts got their hands on the in-depth info the figures were shocking....but it depends how widespread the new EU rules are made public and assuming everyone sends in a claim..........
Hopefully in a few months we will then have the right amount of spares in the right places and the correct crew compliments.....
yeah right!
Hopefully in a few months we will then have the right amount of spares in the right places and the correct crew compliments.....
yeah right!
Don't need nor want compensation , just service . Returning from Manchester on British Airways last night was an example. Family Booked and checked in for a 1730 dep from Manchester to Dusseldorf , a delay was announced at the gate at +/- 1715 , further info at 1750 ..... so off to the bar . At 1800 , no info , so off to the BA desk ..... no info . To cut the story short , the flight was cancelled at 1855 and we were put on the 1725 - boarding now (!) . BUT , as a customer I would rather know , at this time of day , what is happening so that I could go and get something to eat . yet what was in my mind was - IF I go and order something the flight will be called . Another agravation is the constant ' we are sorry for any inconvenience caused '. Bloody modern 'management'. How do we get the message through to the thickheads in offices - the sharp end people know the problem but cannot help .
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Just watch the LOCO'S prices now, they won't be able to just cancel a flight to get the schedule back on time unless they want to be shelling out oodles of pounds, so chances are they will raise prices
Could be an interesting few months ahead for the likes of FR and EZY.
Could be an interesting few months ahead for the likes of FR and EZY.
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The thing is airlines have known that this was going to happen for quite some time now so most of their procedures are will have been written up.
I think that it might cut a few routes especially in the winter for example late flights into regional airports that have visabillity problems. Either that or the prices will go up dramatically.
I think that it might cut a few routes especially in the winter for example late flights into regional airports that have visabillity problems. Either that or the prices will go up dramatically.
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There were and still are legal challenges to this so watch this space.
This is from the ERA last July:
15/07/2004 08:56:00
Evidence provided by the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) was instrumental in yesterday’s decision by the UK High Court to request an expeditious hearing by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the case against the new EU regulation on passenger compensation and assistance.
Filed at the request of the ERA Board, ERA’s evidence focused mainly on the consequences of the compensation and assistance to be provided by airlines in the event of cancellations. The positive judgement of the Court in its hearing on 14 July refers specifically to ERA’s evidence in assisting the Court in its decision to ask for priority treatment by the ECJ.
The President of the ECJ will now consider when the case should be heard, but there is no certainty that the ECJ will treat the case as priority. If the ECJ accepts the need for urgency, there may be a ruling before the Regulation becomes effective in February 2005. Missing this date means that, even if the Regulation is later overturned, airlines will be unable to recoup the massive costs it will impose in the interim.
The potential effects of the new regulation are so damaging that ERA is considering holding a workshop for airlines and airports on the likely impacts it will have on their businesses.
This is from the ERA last July:
15/07/2004 08:56:00
Evidence provided by the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) was instrumental in yesterday’s decision by the UK High Court to request an expeditious hearing by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the case against the new EU regulation on passenger compensation and assistance.
Filed at the request of the ERA Board, ERA’s evidence focused mainly on the consequences of the compensation and assistance to be provided by airlines in the event of cancellations. The positive judgement of the Court in its hearing on 14 July refers specifically to ERA’s evidence in assisting the Court in its decision to ask for priority treatment by the ECJ.
The President of the ECJ will now consider when the case should be heard, but there is no certainty that the ECJ will treat the case as priority. If the ECJ accepts the need for urgency, there may be a ruling before the Regulation becomes effective in February 2005. Missing this date means that, even if the Regulation is later overturned, airlines will be unable to recoup the massive costs it will impose in the interim.
The potential effects of the new regulation are so damaging that ERA is considering holding a workshop for airlines and airports on the likely impacts it will have on their businesses.
