IP/05/181
Brussel, 16 februari 2005
Luchtvervoer: Europa versterkt de rechten van de passagiers
Vanaf 17 februari genieten de burgers nieuwe rechten wanneer zij het
vliegtuig nemen. Immers, dankzij een nieuwe verordening die van
toepassing is in alle lidstaten, worden luchtreizigers beter beschermd
bij instapweigering, annulering van een vlucht of langdurige
vertraging.
Jacques Barrot, ondervoorzitter van de Europese Commissie,
verantwoordelijk voor vervoer, onderstreepte: "De boom in de
luchtvaart moet gepaard gaan met een correcte bescherming van de
rechten van de passagiers. Voor de burgers is dit een concreet
voorbeeld van de voordelen die de Unie voor hun dagelijkse leven
brengt. Het concurrentievermogen en de concurrentie in de
luchtvaartsector gaan hand in hand met het waarborgen van de rechten
van de passagiers."
Ondanks de inspanningen van de sector is het voor de passagiers soms
moeilijk hun rechten te laten gelden bij last tijdens het reizen per
vliegtuig. Zo werden door de Europese luchtvaartmaatschappijen in 2004
meer dan 5 miljoen stuks bagage zoek gemaakt of beschadigd; in 2002
werden 250.000 reizigers het slachtoffer van een instapweigering.
De nieuwe verordening is unaniem door de lidstaten en met een
verpletterende meerderheid in het Europees Parlement goedgekeurd^ .
De verordening treedt morgen in werking en zorgt voor zeer belangrijke
verbeteringen van de bescherming van de rechten van luchtreizigers in
de Unie. De verordening zou moeten bijdragen tot een spectaculaire
vermindering van de frequentie van instapweigeringen, waarvoor de
maatschappijen afschrikkende compensaties zullen moeten betalen (250
EUR voor vluchten van minder dan 1.500 km, 400 EUR voor vluchten van
1.500 tot 3.500 km en 600 EUR voor vluchten van meer dan 3.500 km). De
passagiers hebben recht op vergoeding bij laattijdige annulering en op
bijstand bij langdurige vertraging. Bij annulering is er geen recht op
schadevergoeding als de luchtvaartmaatschappij kan bewijzen dat er
sprake is van buitengewone omstandigheden die niet te vermijden waren.
De verordening is van toepassing op alle vluchten, inclusief charters,
die door de Europese maatschappijen worden georganiseerd van of naar
een Europese luchthaven en op elke vlucht die uit de Europese Unie
vertrekt. De Commissie is ervan overtuigd dat de toepassing van deze
nieuwe rechten de kwaliteit van de diensten die de Europese
maatschappijen aan hun cliënten verstrekken fors zal verbeteren. Het
concurrentievermogen van deze maatschappijen zal hierdoor worden
versterkt.
Om hun rechten doeltreffend te kunnen afdwingen moeten de passagiers
goed geïnformeerd worden. Daartoe heeft de Europese Commissie besloten
een informatiecampagne te starten in de luchthavens en reisbureaus van
de Europese Unie. De luchtvaartmaatschappijen hebben ook de plicht de
passagiers op de hoogte te brengen van hun rechten.
Bovendien bepaalt de nieuwe verordening dat elke staat een
onafhankelijke instantie dient op te richten die belast is met het
behandelen van klachten van passagiers en hun eventuele geschillen met
de maatschappijen, waardoor lange en dure processen kunnen worden
vermeden. Tot dusver hebben slechts 15 lidstaten een dergelijke
instantie opgericht: de Commissie zal zich tot het Hof van Justitie
wenden als de andere lidstaten niet het nodige doen. Bovendien is de
Commissie bereid te zorgen voor follow-up en advisering van passagiers
waarvan de rechten niet zouden zijn gerespecteerd. Zo heeft de
Commissie in drie jaar tijd meer dan 2.000 bij haar ingediende
klachten onderzocht.
Zie ook de website van DG TREN voor meer informatie en documentatie
(folder, affiche, verordeningen, enz.):
http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/rights/info_fr.htm
Ter attentie van de correspondenten van audiovisuele media:
Een door DG TREN gemaakte video «L'Europe renforce les droits des
passagers» is beschikbaar bij de audiovisuele dienst van de Commissie.
Voor een kopie (beschikbare talen: FR-EN-DE-ES-IT) dient men zich te
wenden tot:
Daphné LEVEQUE : leveque.daphne@cec.eu.int of mediatheque@cec.eu.int
Regulation on Denied Boarding and Cancellations or Long Delays
Events 4
Denied Boarding
Cancellations
Long Delays(3)
Regulation
Financial Compensation
Reimbursement
Meals
Financial
Reimbursement
or Re-routing
Meals
Hotels
Reimbursement
Meals
Hotels
6
=
1500-3500 km
=
> 3500 km
or Re-Routing
and Hotels
Compensation
Existing Regulation
n/a
n/a
150 EUR
300 EUR
included
included
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
295/91
New Regulation
250 EUR
400 EUR
n/a
600 EUR
included
included
as denied boarding (1)(2)
included (4)
included
included
included^(4)
included
included
Footnotes :
(1)
Unless carrier can prove that it is not responsible (i.e.
extraordinary circumstances cause the cancellation).
(2)
Unless carrier informs passenger of cancellation two weeks or more
before departure or offers alternative flight that does not delay
passenger more than 2 or 4 hours.
[2 hours delayed by re-routing when cancellation announced =7-14 days]
(3)
Two, three or four hours depending on distance flight.
(4)
When delay at least five hours
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
AIR PASSENGER RIGHTS
FROM 17 FEBRUARY 2005
1. What are the principal improvements of the new Regulation which
enters into force on 17 February 2005?
The new Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on
compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied
boarding and of cancellation or long delays of flights, will enter
into force on 17 February 2005.
This Regulation replaces an earlier regulation of 1991 which gave
rights to passengers only in the event of denied boarding. On one
hand, the new Regulation increases passengers' rights in the event of
denied boarding, and on the other hand, it recognises for the first
time the rights of passengers in the event of cancellation or in the
event of long delays.
Here are some examples of the improvements:
1. The amounts of compensation to be paid to passengers by the
airlines in the event of denied boarding are considerably increased
and pass from:
a. from EUR 150 to EUR 250 on flights up to 1500 km,
b. from EUR 150 to EUR 400 for flights between 1500 km and 3500 km
c. from EUR 300 to EUR 600 for flights longer than 3500 km.
This compensation may be decreased by half if the passenger is not
delayed by more than 2, 3 or 4 hours respectively.
2. Passengers' rights are extended in the of cancellation: a right to
the same compensation as in the event of over-booking, under certain
conditions, and to assistance (meals, accommodation if the alternative
flight proposed is the following day) and to the possibility of
refunding or of rebooking to the final destination following the
choice of the passenger. An airline is not required to pay
compensation if it is in a position to prove that cancellation was due
to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided.
3. In the event of long delays, the airline has to offer meals,
refreshments, hotel accommodation if necessary, and means of
communication. If the delay exceeds 5 hours, it has to propose
refunding the ticket (with, if necessary, a free flight to your point
of departure).
4. The new Regulation now has a broader scope. Rights cover all types
of flight by European airlines, whether charter, regular, or domestic,
departing from an EU airport (including the French overseas
departments), or departing from an airport outside the EU to an EU
airport, when the flight is operated by an EU airline and the
passenger has not received any compensation in a third country. As in
the earlier Regulation, and still within the scope of the legislative
text, these laws apply to all airlines, including "low cost" carriers.
5. Passengers will now be able to apply, if necessary, to national
control organisations especially established to deal with their
complaints and their disagreements with airlines. This procedure will
be less long and less expensive than a legal procedure.
2. Is it true that an appeal has been lodged with the European Court
of Justice against the validity of this Regulation? Accordingly will
the application of this Regulation be suspended?
A British national judge has indeed put a preliminary question to the
Court of Justice about the legality of this Regulation under a
national procedure following an appeal by certain airline associations
(IATA, the association "low cost" carriers and an association of
insurers). The Court of Justice should, in theory, decide this year.
Meanwhile, the Regulation remains entirely valid as the Court has not
followed the request of these companies to suspend the effects of the
Regulation.
3. Will the appearance of these new rights not cause any sharp
increase in the costs of the airlines?
Better protection of passengers' rights will contribute to improving
the image of air transport and in particular of certain companies. The
quality of service forms part of competitiveness and runs in parallel
with guarantees of passengers' rights. In particular, the rights
contained in this Regulation will help to greatly reduce the problems
caused to passengers by the practice of denied boarding, of
cancellation or of long delays, which give a bad image to the
airlines.
4. Am I protected if I fly with a non-EU airline?
Yes, but only if the flight (whether regular or charter) with this
non-EU airline leaves an EU airport.
5. Why are passengers not covered when outside the EU?
The rights under this Regulation cover all types of flight by European
airlines, charter or regular, even if the flight departs from an
airport located abroad when this flight is to the EU and the flight is
operated by an airline licensed in the EU, provided the passengers
have not benefited from services or received compensation or
assistance in the third country (as for example in the case of the
United States).
The Regulation cannot cover flights by non-EU airlines departing an
airport outside the EU (to an airport located in a Member State)
because this would be an extra-territorial clause, extending rights
and creating obligations for non-EU airlines, beyond the borders of
the EU.
6. Am I protected if my ticket is issued under a fidelity or other
commercial programme?
Yes, the rights under the Regulation are entirely applicable to
passengers flying for example with standard "frequent flyer"
programmes.
However, these rights will not apply to the passengers who travel free
of charge or at a reduced tariff not available to the general public.
7. Am I also protected if I use helicopter services?
This regulation applies only to passengers of powered, fixed-wing
planes.
8. Am I protected in the event of extraordinary circumstances?
Yes, passengers always are entitled to be assisted and to be informed,
even in the event of exceptional circumstances, and can consequently
enjoy the rights contained in the Regulation, except for the right to
be compensated in the event of cancellation. In this case, it is up to
the airline company to prove that the cancellation is due to
extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if
all the reasonable measures had been taken. For example, safety
warnings or an unforeseen strike are circumstances that a company
cannot avoid.
9. In the event of cancellation of a flight due to `force majeure',
how can I check that it is indeed an extraordinary circumstance which
could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been
taken?
According to the Regulation, the company has to prove that it is
indeed due to such an exceptional circumstance. The passenger can
always require the proof. If the passenger is not satisfied with this
information, he can refer the matter to the body designated by the
Member State. One aim of this Regulation is to also give a means of
redress to passengers faced with arguments that airlines sometimes use
to justify cancellations.
10. Yes, but to be concrete, could fog constitute an exceptional
circumstance which could be used to avoid paying compensation in the
event of cancellation?
Fog or other weather conditions, such as rain, storms, snow, etc.,
only rarely constitute exceptional circumstances.
Indeed, in order to be able to use the exemption for "exceptional
circumstances", the airline has first to show that it took all
reasonable measures to avoid the problems caused to passengers
following these weather conditions. Current technological development
makes it possible for a plane in almost all cases to take off or land
in the most difficult weather conditions. It is incredible that
airlines continue, as in the past, to improperly use this exemption by
pleading it in any circumstance.
11. It is all the same unbelievable that, even in the event of genuine
extraordinary circumstances, passengers will always have rights in the
event of cancellation or long delays. How can such a provision be
justified?
Passengers' rights, even in exceptional circumstances, reflect the
Regulation's declared objective of consumer protection. It is normal
that the airline which sold a service to the passengers gives them
assistance in the event of delay or in the event of cancellation, in
the form of refreshment, the possibility to make telephone calls, or
even accommodation if the passenger is forced to take a hotel for an
additional night.
The Regulation gives a high level of protection to passengers who are
the weak party. They have already fully paid their contract of
carriage and are sometimes likely to undergo great difficulties and
nuisances far from home, stuck in an airport, several kilometres from
the nearest city, possibly without their luggage and without being
able, often in foreign language, to provide themselves for their basic
needs.
12. If the problem is not of the responsibility for the airline (for
example delays or cancellations due to the bad air traffic management,
equipment not provided by the airport, etc), why should the airline
have to be responsible for the passengers?
The objective of the Regulation is to give a high level of protection
to passengers. The airline will be obliged, in these cases, to grant
the passenger the rights provided for under the Regulation. The
airline subject to cancellation or delay may always be able to request
damages from the third persons responsible for the problem under the
applicable relevant laws.
13. Does this Regulation also provide for rights in the event of
problems with baggage, or in the event of injury or death following an
accident?
The Regulation which enters into force on 17 February 2005 does not
cover these aspects. However, other EU legislation provides rights for
passengers in the event of problems with baggage and in the event of
injury or death following an accident. The passengers of an EU airline
will be well protected whatever their destination and whatever the
flight taken, whether it is an international or domestic flight.
International legislation also provides some other rights which can
apply to passengers of non-EU airlines.
In particular, in the event of damage or loss of baggage, the
responsibility of an airline is limited to 1000 SDR (1 SDR = EUR 1.18
30.09.2004).
14. What can I do if the airline refuses me my rights?
You should address a complaint to the national authorities designated
by each Member State. For the names and the addresses of these, you
can call the free-phone number: 00800 67891011, or send an e-mail to
the following address: mail@europe-direct.cec.eu.int.
The list of the authorities is also available on Internet at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/rights/doc/2005_01_31_national
_enforcement_bodies_en.pdf .
15. Certain Member States have not yet designated the authorities to
deal with complaints. What can I do then?
Indeed, despite repeated requests by the European Commission, 12
Member States have not yet communicated details of these bodies,
leaving the passenger without protection.
For the Member States which have not yet designated the authorities,
the Commission will use all means, including infringement procedures,
to compel them to apply the provisions adopted. In such cases,
passengers may address their complaints to a court.
Meanwhile, passengers can also notify the European Commission's
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport of their complaint,
address: B-1049 Brussels (fax: 00(32-2)2999.1015, e-mail:
tren-aprights@cec.eu.int).
16. Under this regulation, do people with reduced mobility or children
receive individual treatment?
Yes. People with reduced mobility and unaccompanied children must be
provided with these rights as a priority. Non-sighted people and
people with impaired vision must receive information on their rights
from the airlines in an accessible format.
17. Cancellation, denied boarding or long flight delays cause a
passenger damages above the compensation or the refund provided for
under this Regulation: can they ask for additional compensation?
The rights recognised under the Regulation do not exclude the
possibility of a passenger or third person claiming complementary
compensation or compensation for damages (except in the case of
passengers who voluntarily gave up their reservation following denied
boarding), under applicable national law.
The compensation granted under the Regulation may nevertheless be
deduced from any such compensation granted for damages.
18. Can the rights provided under this Regulation be limited or
increased, in particular by an exemption or a restrictive measure
appearing in the contract of carriage?
No. Such a clause would be pointless. If however these exemptions
applied, the passenger could always seek complementary compensation
through the courts or the competent authority.
19. In the event of problems, who will inform me of my rights?
First of all, all air carriers must post a notice at the check-in area
announcing that in the event of problems you can receive a text
stating your rights.
Moreover, in the event of denied boarding, cancellation or a delay of
at least two hours, airlines are required to provide passengers with
written notice of their rights.
Lastly, the European Commission has launched an information campaign
in airports, travel agencies and with airlines to promote of
passengers' rights via posters and leaflets.
In addition, the web site of the European Commission's
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport gives relevant
information for passengers:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/rights/info_en.htm
---
Verordening (EG) nr. 261/2004 van het Europees Parlement en de
Raad van 11 februari 2004 tot vaststelling van gemeenschappelijke
regels inzake compensatie en bijstand aan luchtreizigers bij
instapweigering en annulering of langdurige vertraging van vluchten en
tot intrekking van Verordening (EEG) nr. 295/91.
Lijst :
http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/rights/doc/2005_01_31_national
_enforcement_bodies_en.pdf
European Union