Stranded but not forgotten?
By Jennifer Rankin - 29.04.2010 / 05:19 CET
Volcanic eruption is proving a major test for EU law, while many travellers have still not returned home.
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© 2013 European Voice. All rights reserved.
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The European Parliament will have the chance to vote on giving European counter-terrorism officials access to data about airline passengers, just two months after the proposal was rejected by the Parliament's civil liberties committee. |
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The strike is expected to cause the cancellation of up to 50% of flights to and from French airports between today and Thursday. |
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The European Commission will on Tuesday (11 June) propose to modify the Single European Sky Regulation in a way that will force member states to combine their national airspaces. |
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Fact file
EU PASSENGER RIGHTS LAW
Airlines are obliged to:
? Inform passengers about their rights;
? Offer stranded passengers accommodation and meals;
? Give passengers a choice between a refund or re-routing if their flight has been cancelled or delayed by more than five hours;
? Pay compensation of €125- €600 when flights are cancelled or delayed by more than three hours, unless this is caused by ‘extraordinary circumstances'.
Is the law enforced?
Numerous problems with enforcement were found when the European Commission investigated how the law worked during its first two years, in a report published in 2007. Food, drinks and accommodation were often not offered, while some airlines wrongly invoked force majeure to avoid giving passengers this assistance. The Commission also found that low-cost carriers seemed unwilling to organise re-routing with another airline, which meant passengers could be left stranded for days.
Where is the best place to experience a cancellation?
Belgium and Denmark were judged to be the countries best at enforcing the law, according to the 2007 Commission study. In Belgium, airline staff can even go to prison for a year for flouting the rules. But in other member states (not named by the Commission), national authorities lacked the resources to investigate complaints or were not carrying out detailed investigations.
Air traffic controllers on strike over new rules.
The strike is expected to cause the cancellation of up to 50% of flights to and from French airports between today and Thursday.
The European Parliament will have the chance to vote on giving European counter-terrorism officials access to data about airline passengers, just two months after the proposal was rejected by the Parliament's civil liberties committee.
The European Commission will on Tuesday (11 June) propose to modify the Single European Sky Regulation in a way that will force member states to combine their national airspaces.
Officials worried that Russia could deny planes from the European Union rights of entry or overflight in Russian airspace.
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