EC issues passenger compensation warning to airlines
Airlines and European governments have been issued with a six month deadline to ensure airline passengers receive adequate compensation for delayed or cancelled flights.
The European Commission is threatening legal action unless rules which were imposed two years ago are upheld.
Airlines should have been paying out up to £400 for cancelled flights since February 2005.
But the commission claims that passengers are not being informed of their rights and thousands every year say they have not received payments.
European transport commissioner Jacques Barrot reportedly said: “We must make sure that airlines and member states fully comply with their obligations.”
The commission blamed ineffective enforcement by European states and unclear wording of the regulations.
A study for the commission found that the regulation appeared to have little effect on the level of delays, cancellations and overbooking.
Brussels said the number of complaints from passengers who say they were not properly compensated has been increasing, the BBC reported
The commission received 4,000 complaints last year while national authorities received more than 18,000 between February 2005 and September last year.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers