Air Travellers Given Right to Compensation
Budget airlines predict higher rates after the EU sets penalties for delays, cancellations and overbooking. Air travelers whose
flights are delayed, overbooking or cancellation will be legally entitled to generous levels of compensation following a landmark
European Union deal.
Air travelers whose flights are delayed, canceled or overbooked will be legally entitled to generous levels of compensation
after a landmark European Union deal.
But the pact between the European Parliament and EU government drew protests from low-cost airlines yesterday. They
said the agreement force air fares and argued the new rules are discriminatory.
Under the agreement, passengers for the first time, be legally entitled to compensation if your flight is canceled.
Compensation amounts range from £ 175 for short haul flights and £ 420 for long distance travel. Passengers also
offers a full refund of your ticket.
The same levels of compensation and reimbursement will also be given to travelers bumped from the flights
overbooking. This is more than double the current levels of compensation for overbooking.
Low cost airlines had wanted compensation levels to be linked to the original ticket price. They worry that
compensation will be more than the original ticket price.
The budget of the companies argued that most airlines charge more for their tickets and, therefore, find
fixed remuneration levels much less painful.
However, intense lobbying efforts fell on deaf ears and some airlines said last night that the new rules affect
hard.
Budget airline EasyJet said the deal would have a “dramatic impact” on industry and power tariffs, since in many cases,
legal level of compensation would far exceed the cost of the ticket.
“Of course this is going to bring charges,” said a spokesman for Easyjet. “If you’re in a £ 37 canceled flights to Belfast and
airline has to pay £ 178, ultimately, the cost of the fine will be pushed to the passengers. Who else will pay
for it? ”
Virgin Express agreed that low cost airlines were being discriminated against.
“The principle is unfair,” said a Virgin spokesman. “The objective of regulation is very worthy, but could have been done in
a better way. A system in which compensation is linked to the ticket price would have been much fairer. ”
The Consumers’ Association threw cold water on the claims, but accepted the impact on low-cost sector should be
reviewed.
“The airline claims that such changes will put up the rates must be treated with some skepticism,” said Phil Evans,
the organization’s senior policy adviser. However, given the importance of low-cost sector in the UK, which nothing
undermines their competitiveness would be a concern. ”
Under the new rules – which are expected to come into force in the first half of next year – the airlines will also be legally
required to offer passengers have suffered delays of more than five hours, the choice between reimbursement of their total
ticket or a flight back to your initial point of departure.
Currently, airlines are not obliged to offer any assistance, although some do.
Hotel meals and free phone calls will also be offered by airlines on a sliding scale of delays between two
time and day.
Brian Simpson, Labour MEP specializes in transportation issues, said the European Commission to introduce us to look
similar compensation systems and services for Eurostar cross-Channel ferry.
“This is the beginning of the process, not the end,” he said. “We have as many complaints (about delays and cancellations) to
high-speed trains and vessels can do for the aircraft. ”
The commission will also study the feasibility of introducing such systems in the national highway between cities and rail services, which
added.
BEUC, the pan-European consumer lobby, “said he was glad that the new airline regulations apply to charter flights and
as regular services.
But he added that it was extremely disappointed that the airline had negotiated to take safeguard clauses to prevent the payment of
compensation to passengers in “extraordinary circumstances” such as strikes and the crazy weather.
“We understand that airlines are facing a very difficult time but everything has been diluted,” said a spokesman.
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