Support the fight against proposed reduction in air passenger rights

Vande

There is a significant threat to the regulation which allows passengers 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 Rightsonboard.org . 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 Irish petition at
change.org

smurfjed

What do you see wrong about the increase in time and about unexpected flight safety shortcomings? Wouldn't you like to know that you are on a safe aircraft?

coylemj

smurfjed wrote: »

What do you see wrong about the increase in time and about unexpected flight safety shortcomings?

There is a danger of airlines dressing up every delay as a safety issue in order to weasel out of paying compensation for delays - baggage door wouldn't close properly, steps wouldn't fold up and lock - that sort of stuff.

smurfjed

baggage door wouldn't close properly, steps wouldn't fold up and lock

Wouldn't you consider those two items as legitimate safety issues?

coylemj

smurfjed wrote: »

Wouldn't you consider those two items as legitimate safety issues?

Sorry, I meant to say that they would claim that they were the issues when the delay was actually a by-product of aggressive scheduling - one small delay early in the day leading to a knock-on effect of a longer delay later in the day.

Vande

"one small delay early in the day leading to a knock-on effect of a longer delay later in the day. "

Exactly. I certainly used to find this towards the end of the day, and I think the public awareness of their right to claim compensation for unreasonable delays of over 3 hours has improved the airlines attitude to time-keeping, and to their customers.

I am certainly not saying I would prefer to fly in an unsafe aircraft than suffer a short delay.
But three hours is quite long enough.
Remember travellers are advised to arrive two hours before a flight. If this application by the airlines goes ahead the situation could be that they know the flight can be delayed (for whatever lie they can come up with) till just under the five hour point. Do you want to spend 7 hours at an airport waiting for a flight and have no comeback on the airline?