Changes to flight delay compensation opposed by passengers’ alliance
An air passengers’ alliance is putting pressure on the EU not to approve changes to the law that will make it harder for consumers to claim compensation for long flight delays.
Proposed changes to the law governing flight delay compensation will mean that airlines will only have to pay for flights delayed by at least five hours, up from three hours at present.
Airlines are also arguing that the legislation should be amended to make it clear that they don’t have to pay compensation for delays caused by technical faults.
In the UK, several airlines have been forced to pay passengers compensation for delays caused by minor technical issues following high profile court cases.
EU transport ministers are due to consider the proposed amendments to EU legislation 261 on June 11.
"If the new regulations go ahead, airlines will no longer be enforced to pay a penalty if so-called ‘safety-related defects’ lead to flight delays. This is absurd, as airlines will now be able to explain everything as falling under such a defect," said Philipp Kadelbach, a spokesman for the Alliance for Air Passenger Rights.
He claimed that under existing legislation, flight delay compensation cost airlines an average of €0.88 per passenger.
Under the proposed changes, the Alliance estimates that airlines will face 72% fewer successful claims from delayed passengers.
In addition, the time in which passengers will be able to bring a claim against airlines in the UK will be cut from six years to just three months.
Marek Janetzke, managing director of flightright, a website set up for passengers to claim compensation, said: "Not only does this change mean that unfortunate airline passengers will now be unaware of their right to claim flight compensation, but the increased restrictions imposed mean that passengers won’t even have these rights in the first place."
The Alliance for Air Passenger Rights, which consists of companies and consumer associations from Germany, France, Denmark and Spain, was launched to stop the legal changes that have been proposed by the European Council.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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