Battle looms over airline passengers’ rights

Date: 22/06/2000

By Renée Cordes

THE European Commission is heading for a battle with Europe's leading airlines, which have vowed to fight any attempt to force carriers to reimburse travellers when flights are delayed and are putting pressure on Union governments to resist the move.

A report drawn up by transport chief Loyola de Palacio, approved by the full Commission this week, proposes far-reaching measures to bolster the rights of passengers, following mounting complaints that customers are not getting a fair deal under existing EU legislation.

The Commission is urging airlines and airports to sign up to voluntary commitments to boost quality standards, but has warned it will produce tough proposals later this year and in 2001 for binding legislation in other areas.

These include requiring airlines to reimburse delayed passengers or give them a seat on the next available flight, supply contracts which set out clearly the services provided plus conditions, and publish regular consumer reports so that passengers can shop around for the best overall deal. The Commission is also launching an information campaign to inform passengers of their rights under existing Union legislation.

European airlines say they are ready to sign up to voluntary pledges to boost standards of service. But they are urging the Commission to abandon plans for binding legislation, arguing that the additional requirements being proposed could create huge legal headaches.

EU transport ministers will have their first chance to discuss the proposals at a meeting next Monday (26 June) where De Palacio will present her ideas. But diplomats say EU governments such as France, Germany and the UK are under pressure from large national carriers to campaign for voluntary codes rather than binding legislation.

Airlines oppose a mandatory requirement to reimburse passengers for delays, arguing they are not responsible for most problems. "It is something which sounds very easy but the practicalities of it are alarming," said David Henderson of the Association of European Airlines (AEA). "According to our statistics, the vast majority of delays are outside the airlines' control, this would be a legalistic nightmare."

Large European airlines are urging the Commission to look at passenger rights in all forms of transport, arguing that it is unfair to single out air travel. "Only our industry is being burdened," said one airline official. "Other transport modes have not yet been confronted with passenger rights issues."

The debate is being launched against a backdrop of continuing congestion. The AEA said last month that 21% of intra-European departures were delayed by more than 15 minutes in the first quarter of this year. Although this is down on last year's figure of 28.5%, the association says it is still "much too high."

The European Commission is heading for a battle with Europe's leading airlines, which have vowed to fight any attempt to force carriers to reimburse travellers when flights are delayed and are putting pressure on Union governments to resist the move.