Air passenger complaints soar
The number of complaints by air passengers has soared since new European Union legislation was introduced in February 2005.
In its 2005/6 annual report, the Air Transport Users’ Council (AUC) said the number of written complaints it has received has nearly trebled from 2204 in 2004/5 to 6094 in 2005/6.
The passenger watchdog group said it had expected to receive more complaints following the new EU legislation that granted travellers more rights and set compensation levels.
It urged airlines to do more to help passengers in events of delays and cancellations.
AUC chairman Tina Tietjen said: “We know from discussions with airlines that – for the most part – they have worked hard to ensure that passengers receive their entitlements under the new regulation.
“However the main message coming out of our complaints work appears to be that company policy is still not consistently applied at ground level. There remain too many occasions when suffering delays and cancellations are often not getting their full entitlements.
“We urge airline management to do more to ensure that passengers do receive these entitlements as a matter of course.”
But Easyjet was quick to respond to the report, slamming the legislation for making airlines financially responsible for delays beyond their control, such as bad weather, ATC strikes and government events.
“This legislation, while having its heart in the right place, is one of the worst pieces of legislation ever to emerge from Brussels. It has led to some paradox outcomes and has caused the jump in complaints to the AUC this year,” said a spokesman.
“Every time that Air Traffic Controllers in Europe choose to strike, Europe’s airlines are forced to cancel hundreds of flights and pay assistance, hotel accommodation and transfers.
“Paradoxically, the legislation seems to encourage strikes as they know that the airlines have to take care of passengers and foot the huge bill – and face the anger and frustration.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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