The European Commission is striving to further improve air passenger
rights. On Wednesday it announced a new set of proposed measures related to
long delays, mishandled baggage and other areas. "There will be better complaint
procedures and enforcement measures so passengers can actually obtain the
rights to which they are entitled," according to an EC statement. To be
enacted as law, the proposals must be approved by the European Parliament and
the European Council, a process that could take 18 months, according to an EC
spokesperson.
EC noted that the air passenger rights proposal "clarifies legal
grey areas" stemming from passenger protections first enacted in 2005
"and introduces new rights where necessary."
"The application of the European Union passenger rights rules has
constantly improved in the eight years since its entry into force, however,
today a point has been reached where the limits of non-legislative action (such
as guidelines and voluntary agreements) have been reached and where a revision
of the legislation itself is necessary to ensure that passenger rights work in
practice as they should," according to EC.
Added EC vice president for transport Siim Kallas, "It is very important that passenger rights
do not just exist on paper. We all need to be able to rely on them when it
matters most—when things go wrong. We know that the real priority for stranded
passengers is just to get home."
New and revised regulations would require airlines to "provide
clear complaint-handling procedures" and reply to complaints within
certain timeframes; better inform passengers about baggage allowances; provide
assistance and compensation when a passenger misses a connection due to delays;
provide increasing levels of comfort as tarmac delays are prolonged; "keep
passengers informed about the situation of their delayed or cancelled flight as
soon as possible"; and, in the event of long delays or cancellations,
offer rerouting on its own flights within 12 hours or otherwise offer rerouting
on another airline.
Meanwhile, EC, noting "complaints from passengers," proposed
that an airline may not deny boarding to a passenger "on the return flight
of his ticket on the grounds that he did not take the outbound part of the
return ticket."
The International Air Transport Association stated "disappointment"
with the proposals, claiming that "many of the proposed changes will be
difficult for governments to enforce, add unnecessary costs and incentivize
behaviors by industry that will be ultimately detrimental to the interest of
passengers."