NEWS FLASH
The CEOs of Air Serbia, Croatia Airlines, Trade Air and Amelia, along with executives from 31 other carriers, including KLM Cityhopper, Luxair, Cyprus Airways, and SAS, have urged the European Union to pull the brakes on the EU261 passenger rights revision due to the ongoing fuel crisis. EU institutions are negotiating a reform of the bloc's decades-old passenger rights regulation, called EU261. Under existing rules in place since 2004, air passengers can claim compensation for flights delayed by more than three hours from 250 euros and more depending on the flight length.
The European Parliament and EU countries are at odds over increasing the flight delay threshold for compensation as well as the maximum refund. Parliament wants to keep the threshold unchanged at three hours for short-haul flights while member states want it raised to four hours.
In the letter signed by the 35 airline CEOs within the European Regions Airline Association, they note, "We want to be clear: we support strong and fair passenger rights. We are devoted to our passengers, not because they are simply our customers, but because they are our neighbours, our friends, and our families. We serve the communities we live in. We fly the routes others do not, because the revenues are not there. We provide the essential connectivity that keeps Europe’s regions alive, all year round, not just in the high season. Our priority is to bring passengers safely to their destinations; not to save costs by cancelling flights, leaving them stranded. But the current proposals fail to reflect operational reality". They added, "The revised rules would impose compensation delay thresholds and rates that ignore these constraints, costs that can far exceed the total revenue of a flight. At a time of soaring fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty, this could simply push us to breaking point"
The full open letter can be found here (PDF format).
Do I get it right that the proposed reform actually suggests to increase threshold, i.e. decrease passenger rights?
ReplyDeleteNo, member states want to increase it. Many in EU parliament want to decrease.
DeleteYeah sure. We still remember past few years how they were cancelling flights non stop and they still do, how they don't respond on our emails, don't pay compensation for delays... Obviously then we weren't neighbours, friends, and families.
ReplyDeleteWhat has this to do with the article?
DeleteOf course it does, read more carefully.
DeleteThe other poster is right. Airlines have showed us how unreliable and unfriendly they can be. We need strict regulation which will hold them responsible when things go south. He gave several examples of it.
I agree. The airlines don’t care about us at all. Only EU261 saved us from being worthless to them. From my experience at least.
DeleteYou want a flight to cost next to nothing then you expect compensation of 259 euros for a couple hours delay. I'm with the Airlines best on this. It should be increased to 8 hours before compensation is paid out!
DeleteMhmm then compensation should be paid within 6 hours and not after six to twelve months. I am with the consumers with this. Also the fare has nothing to do with this, this is a purely operational thing.
DeleteHow 'bout just for you. The rest of us will stick with the three hours policy.
DeleteMy guess is that he works for an airline. I don't think any passenger anywhere would be with airlines on this.
DeleteAirlines are becoming increasingly naughty. Now they want us to be understanding but they weren't when they overcharged me for a ticket or for making me pay for everything.
I would even increase the amount of compensation they would have to pay - 400 EUR in 2004 have worth of 550-580 eur now.
ReplyDeleteAirlines increased their prices since 2004, they introduced tickets with hand lugagge only, they removed meals during short flights and now they want after 3,5 hours of delay (under the presumption it is their fault) not to pay anything.
Yeah, right.
Great point. I agree.
DeleteGood points!
DeleteAirlines moved the goalposts.
Totally agree with you. That’s something to be pushed into effect.
DeleteSome like Lufthansa were already punished by customers. They just announced another wave of network cuts. People are just not willing to pay €500 for a LCC service.
DeleteThe way the airlines (and airports!) are treating us, I really have lost all will and joy to fly. Add to that planes with funny “eco” engines which fail, I’d really prefer a horse to a plane.
ReplyDeleteOh give us a break and dont comment such sillyness.
Delete“airlines are reaching breaking point.”
ReplyDeleteSounds like a skill issue to me. Maybe improve the competence of your team and efficiency of your operations. Incompetent airlines deserve to fail, and more operationally nimble ones should take their place.