Support the fight against proposed reduction in air passenger rights

[Gervan]

There is a significant threat to the regulation which allows us to pursue the airlines for compensation after delays (EU Reg 261).
Consumer rights advocates all over Europe have come together to form a campaign group called [broken link removed] . They are trying to persuade the EU regulators to resist pressure from airlines to restrict passenger rights. If the airlines are successful, 90% of those currently eligible for payment will no longer be.

Under the current regulation, EC261/2004, passengers whose flights arrive at least 3 hours late are entitled to financial compensation. For a flight up to 1500km, the compensation is €250 per passenger; for longer distance flights this can increase up to €600.

Airlines now want to increase the delay time, from 3 hours to 5, before passengers are entitled to compensation.
Also, if the airline says the delay is due to an "unexpected flight safety shortcoming" they say they should be exempt from having to pay compensation.

The EU Ministers for Transport will be meeting on June 11th to decide on this proposition.
If you want to make your voice heard, please sign the petition at
https://www.change.org/p/brian-simp...rism-committee-tran-save-our-passenger-rights

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Hi Gervan

If someone buys a flight for €10 and it's delayed, are you saying that they might have to get €250 compensation? I think that's totally disproportionate and may make it difficult for low fair airlines to offer low fairs. Surely flight delays are a part of normal air travel?

If airlines have to pay €250 compensation, airlines will just push up prices.

I suppose it could be argued that the threat of having to pay compensation would make them more efficient. But maybe limit it to the cost of the flight?

Brendan

Declaration of interest: I am a shareholder in Ryanair.

 

[Gervan]

The current situation is that a short flight passenger may indeed be eligible to claim €250 compensation after a delay over 3 hours. Whether the flight cost €10 or not (it's many years since I have flown one of those).
As a traveller who takes about a dozen flights a year (UK & continent) I used to find the last flight of the day would be horrendously delayed, as all the little lags of the day had built up. The shops would all be closed, the waiting room too hot, too cold, or with insufficient chairs. It was a miserable situation where often I have just wanted to lie down on the floor and sleep.
Since passengers became aware of this regulation, and have begun using their rights, I have found the airlines much better at timekeeping. So, to me, it's not all about making money from the airline (although when we've been lied to for hours that we will be on our way shortly compensation might be very welcome) but making flight travel less of a gruelling experience.

To extend the delay to five hours before compensation can be claimed is too long: just imagine you arrive at 8am for a 10am flight, and the airline knows it can keep coming up with excuses until shortly before 3 in the afternoon!

 

[Seagull]

Also, if the airline says the delay is due to an "unexpected flight safety shortcoming" they say they should be exempt from having to pay compensation.

Is that airline speak for "Inadequate maintenance programs"?

 

[Gervan]

Who knows, Seagull.

I was on a flight this past weekend where the video screens to show the safety messages did not deploy. The cabin crew did their best to remember what they used to say, but were clearly floundering a bit.
Could that have been described as an "unexpected flight safety shortcoming" and used as an excuse not to pay compensation ?

(We were actually delayed on that flight by what was described vaguely as a "seating confusion" but we only lost an hour.)

 

[trasneoir]

If someone buys a flight for €10 and it's delayed, are you saying that they might have to get €250 compensation? I think that's totally disproportionate and may make it difficult for low fair airlines to offer low fairs. Surely flight delays are a part of normal air travel?

Opportunity cost - people have got business and holidays and connecting flights to be getting on with.

Airlines are also one of the only businesses who have literally got captive customers. If i'm to be legally imprisoned in a plane for 3 hours, I'd better be flying somewhere sunny, not parked on a runway.

Flight delays are about as normal as we will tolerate them to be. I'm quite happy that airlines have got a strong incentive to avoid 3 hour delays, and I don't mind paying a couple of extra quid for the privilege. Put it this way, if ryanair offered a €2.50 ("insurance") bet at 100/1 that my flight would be 3 hours late, I'd take it.