Press Release: European Commission determined to enforce air passengers’ rights

The European Commission on 14 December 2005 decided to refer Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Sweden to the European Court of Justice and to deliver reasoned opinion to Slovakia for failure to comply with European legislation on air passenger rights. These countries had not fulfilled all their obligations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which had entered into force on 17 February 2005 and provides additional protection for air passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellation or long delays.