Latest news with #EU261
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Changes to generous EU flight compensation rules are needed, airline lobby group says
EU transport ministers meet this week to discuss possible changes to EU261 rules EU transport ministers will meet this week in Luxembourg to discuss potential changes to the generous compensation that air passengers can secure when their flights are delayed. It comes as air passengers can expect further delays this summer, mainly due to air traffic control factors. Related topics John Mulligan EU
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Travel chaos as major airline axes 1,400 flights this summer with Scots airport affected
Read on to see if you're affected GROUNDED Travel chaos as major airline axes 1,400 flights this summer with Scots airport affected Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR airline has axed a total of 1,400 flights this summer - sparking travel chaos for thousands of holidaymakers. Swiss International Air Lines, also known as SWISS, cancelled the journeys over a pilot and aircraft shortage. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Swiss International Air Lines has cancelled a total of 1,400 flights this summer Credit: Alamy 3 Flights from Edinburgh Airport have been axed Credit: Andrew Barr The airline operates out of a number of UK hubs including Edinburgh Airport. Flights from Edinburgh to the Swiss capital Zurich operate daily. There are fears cancellations could affect as many as 50,000 passengers as the airline also flies from London Heathrow, London City and Manchester, The Mirror reports. And experts warn the move could cause a ripple effect across Europe, with many travellers flying into Zurich for connections. Anton Radchenk, Aviation Expert & Founder of AirAdvisor, said: "2025 has already been notorious for flight cancellations, especially due to persistent industrial action and ATC issues, be it in Germany, Italy, Greece, France or Finland. "With this latest wave of SWISS cancellations, summer just got more complicated for UK travellers. "We're not seeing a demand problem but a staffing and scheduling bottleneck. "Flights are getting axed not because people aren't lying, but because airlines don't have enough fully trained pilots to operate them." If you have been impacted by the cancellations then you are entitled to a full refund and re-routing under the EU261 regulation. And if your flight departs less than 14 days from the time of the SWISS announcement then you can get between £220 and £520 - depending on the distance of the flight and length of the delay. Travelers warned to check full list of major airports plagued by outages as they risk delays and cancelled flights A SWISS spokesperson told The Mirror: "With these proactive adjustments to our flight schedule, our aim is to maintain the highest possible level of stability and reliability for our passengers. "On long-haul routes, this affects flights to Shanghai until the end of June, and to Chicago until the end of June, as well as during September and October. "On short- and medium-haul routes, this affects flights from Geneva Airport to various destinations between early May and the end of October. From Zurich Airport, we will have to cancel individual flights to various European destinations in August and September. "We regret that we are unable to offer the affected connections as originally planned. In such cases, we inform the affected customers as early as possible. "Schedule adjustments are made as far in advance as possible to minimise inconvenience and to find the best possible alternative travel solutions for our passengers."
Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Daily Record
Holiday chaos as major airline scraps 1,400 flights with Scots airport impacted
It is feared 50,000 passengers could be affected by the mass cancellations and disruption expected to last until October 2025 A major airline has cancelled 1,400 flights over the summer months, throwing thousands of planned holidays into chaos. Swiss International Air Lines (also known as SWISS) operate out of several UK hubs, including Edinburgh Airport. And there are fears the cancellations could affect as many as 50,000 travellers as they also fly from major hubs; London Heathrow, London City and Manchester. Experts say that the move by the respected airline could create a ripple effect across Europe and beyond. SWISS run flights from Edinburgh to Zurich, Switzerland, daily and the disruption is expected to last until October 2025. The majority of their flights, of which they have around 10-15 per day, take off from London Heathrow. It is believed that a knock-on effect on those flying to their Zurich hub to catch connecting flights could be impacted too. Anton Radchenk, Aviation Expert & Founder of AirAdvisor, warned that the cancellations are the 'tip of the iceberg', reports the Mirror. Radchenk said that the situation is reflective of wider issues in European aviation. He said: "2025 has already been notorious for flight cancellations, especially due to persistent industrial action and ATC issues, be it in Germany, Italy, Greece, France or Finland. "With this latest wave of SWISS cancellations, summer just got more complicated for UK travellers. We're not seeing a demand problem but a staffing and scheduling bottleneck. "Flights are getting axed not because people aren't lying, but because airlines don't have enough fully trained pilots to operate them." SWISS Cancellations - will I get my money back? If you're impacted by the axing, you will be entitled to a full refund and free re-routing under the EU261 regulation. If your flight's departure is less than 14 days from the time of the SWISS cancellation announcement, you'll get between £220 and £520, depending on the distance of the flight and length of delay. "With these proactive adjustments to our flight schedule, our aim is to maintain the highest possible level of stability and reliability for our passengers," SWISS said in a statement sent to the Mirror. "On long-haul routes, this affects flights to Shanghai until the end of June, and to Chicago until the end of June, as well as during September and October. "On short- and medium-haul routes, this affects flights from Geneva Airport to various destinations between early May and the end of October. From Zurich Airport, we will have to cancel individual flights to various European destinations in August and September. "We regret that we are unable to offer the affected connections as originally planned. In such cases, we inform the affected customers as early as possible. Schedule adjustments are made as far in advance as possible to minimise inconvenience and to find the best possible alternative travel solutions for our passengers." The huge blow to Brits is another reminder to always book your travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday. This can help protect you from losing money after paying for hotels and excursions etc which you may not be able to attend due to flights being cancelled. Travel insurance experts at Staysure advise finding a policy that covers injuries, cancellations, and lost or stolen items as a bare minimum. "If you're off on a cruise or snow-slope adventure, it's important to remember that you will need to take out specific cover for those types of trips," they said. "If you'll be doing activities such as watersports or hiking, ensure your policy covers these... Leaving things till the last minute may mean that you're not covered if anything goes wrong in the build-up to your trip and while away." If you're an avid globe trotter, booking annual insurance rather than taking out a policy for each individual trip can often work out better value for money. Plus, it saves the hassle of filling out multiple forms.
Travel Daily News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
ERA calls for balanced EU261 revision
ERA urges EU261 revision to support regional airlines, calling for flexible rules on compensation, delay thresholds, re-routing, and extraordinary circumstances. The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) continues to call for a proportionate and flexible approach in the long-awaited revision of the Passenger Rights Regulation, EU261. While the regulation is intended to protect passengers and improve the reliability of air travel, its current form places an unsustainable burden on regional airlines that deliver essential connectivity across Europe. ERA is therefore calling to ensure that the revision of the regulation does not hinder European regional connectivity. The revised regulation should include the following elements: Compensation levels must reflect regional realities: Raising compensation would disproportionately impact carriers operating only short-haul routes, many of which are smaller airlines, in particular but not limited to PSO routes, where low fares leave no margin for added costs. These vital services must remain economically viable. Extended delay thresholds from 3 to 5 hours for short-haul flights: Many regional airlines operate essential services to remote or insular areas, often without immediate access to maintenance facilities. Extending compensation thresholds reflects these operational realities and helps carriers manage multiple daily rotations safely. Airlines must be able to prioritise the safety tasks without the pressure of being penalised by inflexible rules. An increase of the threshold will also significantly reduce the cancellation of flights and hence will ultimately benefit the consumer. Limited conditions for re-routing: Regional carriers must retain the operational flexibility to manage disruption in line with their available resources. Overly permissive re-routing options – such as immediate rebooking on any available carrier or alternative transport mode – would place an unsustainable burden on smaller airlines. A binding, non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances: Greater legal clarity is essential for both passengers and carriers. A detailed and flexible list will reduce administrative costs and litigation while ensuring fairness. Jesper Rungholm, ERA President and CEO of Danish carrier DAT, commented: 'The majority of regional operations connect remote islands and regions of Europe to the mainland, providing vital connectivity. These services can be challenging – weather, maintenance, crew availability – with almost every aspect of airline operations at its most extreme. Passengers are accustomed to delays and disruptions across all modes of transport, yet it is only airlines that face extreme compensation payments, along with hotel and meal costs. With regional fares kept deliberately low, we often see compensation amounts that are four to five times the ticket price. 'Options for cost recovery are extremely limited, making this an excessive and unsustainable burden. Nevertheless, our commitment to serving passengers remains strong. The revision of EU261 should not put the economic viability of these essential routes at risk and threatens regional connectivity.' Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA added: 'If the financial burden on regional airlines continues to rise unchecked, the consequence will be the closure of routes that many communities depend on and make regional airlines less competitive hence reducing choice and increasing prices for passengers. Regulation must strike a balance between protecting passengers and ensuring that the airlines serving remote and underserved regions can continue to operate sustainably. 'ERA urges policymakers to move away from a rigid, one-size-fits-all model and towards a collaborative, realistic and passenger-focused framework. Only then can the regulation continue to protect travellers while safeguarding the regional air services that are Europe's lifeline.'
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Major EU airline chaos as 1,400 flights suddenly axed with UK airports included
A staggering 50,000 UK travellers could be impacted by mass flight cancellations - as one Europe's most popular airlines admits a pilot and fleet shortage has spearheaded the sudden move One of Europe's most respected European airlines has sparked chaos after axing a staggering number of flights over the summer season. Swiss International Air Lines (also known as SWISS) suddenly cancelled 1,400 journeys, blaming the decision on a pilot and fleet shortage, With disruption expected to last until October 2025, experts over at AirAdvisor say the move could have a 'ripple effect' across Europe and beyond - and has the potential to affect a whopping 50,000 UK travellers. This is because SWISS currently operates direct flights four major UK airports: London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, and Edinburgh. It is predicted around 10-15 UK flights are operated by SWISS per day, with the majority leaving from London Heathrow, and represent 10-12 per cent of the mass cancellations. While this directly impacts travellers flying to Zurich, the airline's hub, it may also disrupt passengers flying indirectly to long-haul destinations - or those that have yet to book their in-bound flight home. Aviation Expert & Founder of AirAdvisor, Anton Radchenk argues the cancellations are just the 'tip of the iceberg' and reflect wider issues in the European aviation industry. "2025 has already been notorious for flight cancellations, especially due to persistent industrial action and ATC issues, be it in Germany, Italy, Greece, France or Finland," he added. "With this latest wave of SWISS cancellations, summer just got more complicated for UK travellers. We're not seeing a demand problem but a staffing and scheduling bottleneck. Flights are getting axed not because people aren't lying, but because airlines don't have enough fully trained pilots to operate them." SWISS Cancellations - will I get my money back? If you're impacted by the axing, you will be entitled to a full refund and free re-routing under the EU261 regulation. If your flight's departure is less than 14 days from the time of the SWISS cancellation announcement, you'll get between £220 and £520, depending on the distance of the flight and length of delay. "With these proactive adjustments to our flight schedule, our aim is to maintain the highest possible level of stability and reliability for our passengers," SWISS said in a statement sent to the Mirror. "On long-haul routes, this affects flights to Shanghai until the end of June, and to Chicago until the end of June, as well as during September and October. On short- and medium-haul routes, this affects flights from Geneva Airport to various destinations between early May and the end of October. From Zurich Airport, we will have to cancel individual flights to various European destinations in August and September. "We regret that we are unable to offer the affected connections as originally planned. In such cases, we inform the affected customers as early as possible. Schedule adjustments are made as far in advance as possible to minimize inconvenience and to find the best possible alternative travel solutions for our passengers." The huge blow to Brits is another reminder to always book your travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday. This can help protect you from losing money after paying for hotels and excursions etc which you may not be able to attend due to flights being cancelled. As previously reported, travel insurance experts at Staysure advise finding a policy that covers injuries, cancellations, and lost or stolen items as a bare minimum. "If you're off on a cruise or snow-slope adventure, it's important to remember that you will need to take out specific cover for those types of trips," they said in an exclusive interview with the Mirror. "If you'll be doing activities such as water sports or hiking, ensure your policy covers these... Leaving things till the last minute may mean that you're not covered if anything goes wrong in the build-up to your trip and while away." If you're an avid globe trotter, booking annual insurance rather than taking out a policy for each individual trip can often work out better value for money. Plus, it saves the hassle of filling out multiple forms.
