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Daily Record
10 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Ryanair, Jet2, TUI and easyJet passengers facing '4 hour rule' change
The carriers will no longer have to pay out if their flight is delayed for three hours under new plans. Passengers flying with carriers like Ryanair, TUI, Jet2 and easyJet would no longer be able to claim money if their flights are delayed by three hours. The European Union has put forward proposals that the delay now has to be four hours for compensation to be paid. Until now, if a short-haul flight was delayed by three hours or more and it was the airline's fault, customers would be entitled to compensation. But EU countries have now agreed to increase the amount of time passengers will have to wait before they can claim compensation for a delayed flight after 12 years of negotiations. It also means that those taking long-haul flights would need to be delayed for six hours before they are entitled to any compensation, under the plans. The EU countries agreed to increase the amount of compensation for those delayed on short-haul flights from €250 (£211) to €300, but plan to reduce compensation for long-haul flights from €600 to €500. The decision was made by EU transport ministers last week, reports Birmingham Live. But the proposals have still to be negotiated with the European Parliament before becoming law. Airlines for Europe (A4E) represents Europe's major airlines, including Lufthansa, EasyJet and Ryanair. It said that 70 per cent of flights that end up being cancelled could be saved at a five-hour threshold 'benefiting up to 10 million passengers per year'. In a statement they said: 'Europe has been waiting for transparent and workable passenger rights for 12 years and member states have fallen at the final hurdle to deliver. Member states have diluted the European Commission's original proposal and introduced even more complexity." German lawmakers from the European People's Party said that 'decreasing the rights to compensation for air passengers would be a step in the wrong direction." They went on: "Reimbursement after a three-hour delay has been standard for many years and should remain so." The change would be a significant blow to holidaymakers who are held up at airports across the continent. The UK does have its own rules on air passenger rights, based on EU regulation. They are that airlines must compensate passengers if their flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late and extraordinary circumstances did not cause the delay. There are fears that the plans could affect UK travellers though as it will apply to those flying with an EU carrier. It comes as 16 consumer protection associations from 12 member states are accusing seven low-cost airlines of charging passengers undue fees for their hand luggage. "The European Court of Justice has made it very clear that hand baggage is an integral part of the basic ticket price. Normally, there is no surcharge on the price as long as the hand luggage is of a reasonable size," said Steven Berger, a lawyer with the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC). "All we're seeing is a proliferation of airlines charging for this baggage (...) we're calling for very clear rules. Passengers must be able to take one piece of luggage, a small suitcase or a rucksack," he added.
Euronews
6 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
Exclusive: EU countries to mull charging for cabin baggage
Proposals to allow charging air passengers for carry-on cabin baggage and only permit compensation for longer delays to flights are set to be wrangled by EU countries' ambassadors meeting on Wednesday, according to two sources familiar with the issue. The proposals are part of a wider project to reform EU air passenger rights on the negotiating set to be negotiated by member states on Wednesday before presentation to a meeting of the 27 transport ministers on Thursday. The draft proposes creating a new free hand luggage item, one that can be slipped under the seat, leaving other stowed cabin bags exposed to charges. The outcome of this cabin baggage tax is sensitive, and its adoption is far from certain, sources said. The debate heated up last month after European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC) lodged a complaint. In all, 16 consumer protection associations from 12 Member States are accusing seven low-cost airlines of charging passengers undue fees for their hand luggage. "The European Court of Justice has made it very clear that hand baggage is an integral part of the basic ticket price. Normally, there is no surcharge on the price as long as the hand luggage is of a reasonable size," said Steven Berger, a lawyer with the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC). "All we're seeing is a proliferation of airlines charging for this baggage (...) we're calling for very clear rules. Passengers must be able to take one piece of luggage, a small suitcase or a rucksack," he added. European airlines have a different interpretation of the case law. Kevin Hiney, Communications Director of A4E (Airlines for Europe), pointed out that "under European law and the single market, airlines have the right to unbundle their services in order to offer the best possible package to passengers". For the organisation, which represents 17 airlines in Europe and 80% of European air traffic, the proposal on the table merely seeks to harmonise different approaches between companies on this cabin baggage. "I think it's important to stress that what the current proposal from the Poles (the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU) is doing is setting the dimensions of these personal items to ensure clarity and transparency for all passengers, as well as for the airlines," said Kevin Hiney. In this political battle, consumers should be able to count on Spain to make their voice heard. Last November, Madrid condemned five airlines for abusive practices. The €179 million fine concerns, among other things, these extra charges on hand luggage. A proposal to revise the 2004 European regulations on compensation for delays also set to be discussed by ambassadors on Wednesday is also causing concern among civil society, carriers and governments. Passenger groups and airlines both want to see the rules revised, but in different ways. A European Commission proposal presented in 2013 envisaged extending the time limit required to trigger compensation to 5 hours of delay. The text presented to the member states by the Polish Presidency now moves in this same direction, proposing to extend the time limit for claiming primary compensation to 4 hours, with a second step from 6 hours depending on the distance of the journey. At present, compensation of between €250 and €600 euros can be claimed for delays of 3 hours or more. The European directive applies to all flights departing from an EU airport, regardless of the nationality of the airline, and to flights arriving at EU airports if they are operated by an EU airline. It does not apply to flights to Europe operated by non-EU airlines, or to non-EU flights with a stopover in Europe. For A4E, the proposal is a step in the right direction. "We believe that the compensation thresholds should be extended to allow us to have a chance of recovering flight schedules when things go wrong," explains Kevin Hiney. "In the event of a mechanical problem, airlines have to find a replacement aircraft or crew, which takes time," he pointed out. "By adjusting the thresholds for compensation for delays, we will have a fighting chance to make these changes, to put in place the new aircraft and crew," said Kevin Hiney. According to BEUC, the proposed reform would deprive a very large number of passengers of compensation. "If the text is voted on as it stands between the member states, before negotiations with the Parliament, we will be sending out a very bad signal to European consumers by going back on rights that are really fundamental when travelling," says Steven Berger. However, the outcome of the negotiations is uncertain. "At the moment, there are two different opposing positions among the member states in the Council. On the whole, you have the camp of the member states that are going to defend the three hours to be able to benefit from the right to compensation and others that are going to ask for five hours and nine hours based on distance. So right now this is really the big source of conflict," said Steven Berger. Just ten or so countries would constitute a blocking minority within the EU Council. Before the ambassadors' meeting, Germany and Spain seemed to be opposed to any change in the compensation rules. However, it is the entire revision that must be validated or rejected. In other words, opposing changes to the compensation rules will bring down the whole reform. Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders has announced that his Party For Freedom (PVV) will leave the governing coalition over a migration dispute. The withdrawal, which comes three weeks before the Netherlands is due to host a NATO summit in the Hague, could spell the end of the 11-month-old government of Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Wilders confirmed the move in a social media post on X, saying he had taken the decision because his coalition partners were unwilling to agree to his migration plans. "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition," he wrote on Tuesday morning. 'I signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands,' Wilders told reporters. His coalition partners hit out at the move, with Dilan Yesilgöz, the leader of the right-wing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), saying she was "shocked" by the decision, which she described as "super-irresponsible". Caroline van der Plas, leader of the populist Farmers Citizens Movement (BBB), also expressed her disappointment. 'He is not putting the Netherlands first, he is putting Geert Wilders first,' she told Dutch broadcaster NOS. Since last July, the PVV has been in a coalition with the VVD, the BBB and the centrist New Social Contract (NSC) party. Wilders presented a 10-point plan last Monday to radically reduce migration, putting pressure on the four-party coalition to toughen its migration policy or risk a cabinet crisis. "The gloves are off," Wilders said during a press conference to announce the plan, adding that his party would withdraw from the cabinet if migration policy was not toughened up. The proposal called for a complete halt to asylum, as well as a temporary stop to family reunions for asylum seekers who have been granted refugee status, and the return of all Syrians who have applied for asylum or are in the Netherlands on temporary visas. Wilders, who has long campaigned against immigration, also wanted to close asylum centres. Opposition parties and activists have called for new asylum centres to be opened to prevent overcrowding and inhumane conditions for asylum seekers who need shelter. Wilders' PVV won a dramatic victory in the November 2023 national election, gaining 37 out of the House of Representatives' 150 seats. Despite the PVV becoming the largest party in the Dutch parliament, Wilders failed to secure the position of prime minister after resistance from other major parties. The fragile right-wing coalition has been beset by problems, surviving crisis talks in November, when an NSC minister resigned after alleged racist comments were made by other cabinet members.
