New EU air passenger rights unveiled
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New air passenger rights have been launched by the European Commission (EC) including rules on compensation.
The regulation includes natural disasters and traffic control strikes with “exceptional circumstances” for compensation and says passengers can be moved onto a rival airline if a flight is delayed for more than 12 hours but with no limit on cost or class.
Airlines will have to pay up to a maximum of three nights’ accommodation although the new rules are not expected to come into law until 2014.
According to the BBC report the EC wants complaints to be dealt with more promptly and hoped the new legislation would create clarity for airlines and customers.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed some aspects of the changes but criticised others. It praised the recognition that delays cause a high cost to airlines and that changes would limit when compensation claims would be made.
However, it warned that some changes will add costs; be difficult for governments to enforce and “incentivise behaviours by industry that will be ultimately detrimental to the interest of passengers”. These were mainly around health and safety issues which diversions are often the reason for.
“We are disappointed that the much-needed review of EC 261 has resulted in proposals that deviate from international standards and which will be difficult to enforce. We had a great opportunity to improve a regulation that has been shown to be not fit for purpose,” said Tony Tyler, director general and CEO of IATA.
“Airlines have every incentive to operate on schedule and deliver value for money service to their passengers. It’s the commercial reality of operating in a competitive service industry with very thin margins. The cost of delays and dissatisfied customers is something that every airline wants to avoid but that is not reflected in the proposed proscriptive regulation,” he added.
Simon McNamara, director general at the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) also raised concerns over aspects of the regulations.
“The revisions go some way to striking a fair balance between protecting passengers and imposing onerous burdens on airlines. The proposal to make the first carrier (often a regional) in a multi-segment trip responsible for compensation if a missed connection results in a long delay to the entire trip is a step backwards. It will place a disproportional burden on European regional feeder operators who play a crucial economic and social role in linking Europe’s remote regions,” he said. “This proposal is one step in a long process to improve Regulation 261/2004 for both passengers and operators.”