Latest news with #A4E
Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Passengers flying with major airlines to face new 4 hour rule at airports
In a huge blow to Brits, EU countries have green-lighted controversial plans to lengthen the wait time before delayed passengers can claim compensation for both short and long-haul journeys Customers flying with some big name air operators on short-haul flights have been hit with a brutal four-hour warning over a controversial shakeup. After 12 years of wrangling, EU countries have green-lighted plans to lengthen the wait time before flyers can lodge claims for delayed flights. Currently, passengers have to be delayed by more than three hours before qualifying for compensation. However, under the new stipulations - which still have to be negotiated with the European Parliament before they become law - short-haul travellers will only be eligible to claim compensation after being delayed by four hours or more, while those on longer journeys will have to sit tight for a six-hour hold-up before they can lodge a compensation claim. It's not all bad news though, as EU nations have also agreed to increase the amount of compensation for those delayed on short-haul journeys from €250 (approx £210.47) to €300 (£252.56). But, passengers hit with delays on long-haul flights could see their compensation reduce from €600 (£505) to €500 (£420). The trade body Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents companies such as Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa, and The European Consumer Organisation, the BEUC, both slammed the rules - arguing it would deprive the majority of passengers from being able to claim compensation. This is because most delays are only between two and four hours. "Europe has been waiting for transparent and workable passenger rights for 12 years and member states have fallen at the final hurdle to deliver," A4E said. "Member states have diluted the European Commission's original proposal and introduced even more complexity." According to Yorkshire Live, German members of the European People's Party have also expressed their disapproval, stating that 'decreasing the rights to compensation for air passengers would be a step in the wrong direction'. "Reimbursement after a three-hour delay has been standard for many years and should remain so," they added. A senior EU diplomat is believed to have said that 'no politician wants to say more than four hours' at risk of dampening Europeans' holiday plans. The news comes amidst accusations by 16 consumer protection associations from 12 Member States against seven budget airlines for imposing unfair charges on passengers' 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," explained Steven Berger, a solicitor 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: "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." *Prices based on EUR to GBP conversions at the time of writing.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
EU agrees to increase flight delay times before passengers get compensation
EU countries have agreed to increase the amount of time aircraft passengers are delayed before they can qualify for compensation. Passengers on short-haul flights would have to be delayed by four hours or more before they could claim compensation, under the plans. For long-haul flights delays would have to be six or more hours. Current EU rules dictate that passengers can ask for compensation if their flight is delayed for more than three hours. The EU countries also 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 revision of the EU's air passenger rights was initially proposed in 2013 by the European Commission. It has taken 12 years of negotiations for member states to reach an agreement on changes to the timeframe for compensation, and the plans still have to be negotiated with the European parliament before they become law. The European Consumer Organisation, the BEUC, said the plan would deprive 'the majority of passengers from their compensation rights', as most delays are between two and four hours. The trade body Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents companies such as Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa, also condemned the plan because it wanted delay times to be even longer before compensation payments kick in. Ourania Georgoutsakou, the A4E managing director, 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. 'Rather than providing delay thresholds of five and nine hours that would save up to 70% of rescuable cancelled flights, member states have diluted the European Commission's original proposal and introduced even more complexity.' The European Commission's initial plan included extending the time to five hours for short-haul flights and nine for long-haul. The agreement also includes a 'right to be rerouted' when there are long delays, automating forms for compensation and stronger rights for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Philippe Tabarot, the French transport minister, said he was pleased with the agreement. He wrote on X: 'The text could have been more ambitious, but it is an important step towards improving the quality of service offered to air passengers.' Under current rules in the UK, airlines must compensate passengers if their flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late and extraordinary circumstances did not cause the delay. For short-haul flights under 1,500km (932 miles), passengers can be compensated up to £220. This rises to £350 for medium-haul flights between 1,500km and 3,500km. For long-haul flights over 3,500km, delayed passengers can be paid up to £520, although this can be lowered to £260 if the passenger arrives at the destination with a delay of less than four hours.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Longer flight delays without compensation? EU plan divides
The EU is considering allowing airlines to incur longer flight delays without having to compensate passengers in a move that has consumer groups up in arms and is dividing member states. Representatives for the bloc's 27 countries discussed the idea, which proponents say will result in fewer flight cancellations, on Wednesday in Brussels. Carriers currently must pay air travellers in Europe up to 600 euros ($682) for delays of more than three hours, or if a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure. Supporters see the rules dating back to 2004 as an example of the European Union's prowess in defending consumer rights. But airlines say they face a hefty bill, which "perversely" often leads them to cancel flights rather than run them with a long delay -- due to knock-on effect on flight schedules. "Extending the so-called delay thresholds will give airlines more time to move planes and crews across Europe to save flight schedules," said Airlines for Europe (A4E), an industry group. Poland, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, has picked up plans for reform that have languished since a 2013 commission proposal failed to bear fruit. Warsaw initially introduced upping the maximum non-sanctioned delay to five hours, according to several people familiar with the discussion. But some member states, including Germany, oppose the idea. Even a compromise backed by 15 states to increase the threshold to four hours for flights of up to 3,500 kilometres and six hours for longer ones failed to find enough support to pass Wednesday, several European diplomats told AFP. "Long flight delays are a real nuisance. They ruin the start of well-deserved holidays. They disrupt important plans. They cost valuable lifetime," said Stefanie Hubig, Germany's consumer rights minister. Berlin could not agree to any changes "unilaterally aligned" with airlines' interests "just before the holiday season", she added. It is pushing to keep the three-hour threshold but lower compensation to a flat rate of 300 euros, according to diplomatic sources. - More flights less money - The original plan to allow a five-hour delay could have saved almost 50 percent of flights that are currently cancelled, according to A4E, which represents Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and other companies accounting for more than 80 percent of European air traffic. It would also have stripped about 75 percent of passengers of the right to compensation, said Europe's BEUC umbrella consumer rights group. "This is an unacceptable step back from the current level of protection," it said in a joint statement with consumer associations. Delays and cancellations could cost airlines up to 8.1 billion euros this year, according to the European Commission. Yet, agencies that help passengers get money in exchange for a fee note that of the millions of passengers eligible for compensation, only a fraction each year file a claim. "For European customers this is a disastrous change," Tomasz Pawliszyn, the head of one such firm, Airhelp, told AFP of the planned reform. Since the three-hours threshold has been adopted in other jurisdictions, such as Canada, Turkey and Britain, the changes would generate "confusion" and potentially lead to some European carriers being allowed longer delays than their non-European rivals on some of the same routes, he added. - 'Blackmail' - The proposed changes are part of a broader package of reforms. This includes some clearly passenger-friendly moves, such as barring airlines from charging for hand-luggage of a standard size and weight. It has nevertheless enraged some European lawmakers, for the Polish presidency of the European Council is seeking to push it through with a rarely-used expedited procedure that limits parliament's say. "The first word that comes to my mind about the council's behaviour is blackmail," Andrey Novakov, a lawmaker with the centre-right EPP and the parliament's rapporteur on the issue told AFP. Member states' representatives are to discuss the issue again next week ahead of a meeting of transport ministers on June 5. ub-jhm/ec/yad
France 24
28-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
Longer flight delays without compensation? EU plan divides
Representatives for the bloc's 27 countries discussed the idea, which proponents say will result in fewer flight cancellations, on Wednesday in Brussels. Carriers currently must pay air travellers in Europe up to 600 euros ($682) for delays of more than three hours, or if a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure. Supporters see the rules dating back to 2004 as an example of the European Union's prowess in defending consumer rights. But airlines say they face a hefty bill, which "perversely" often leads them to cancel flights rather than run them with a long delay -- due to knock-on effect on flight schedules. "Extending the so-called delay thresholds will give airlines more time to move planes and crews across Europe to save flight schedules," said Airlines for Europe (A4E), an industry group. Poland, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, has picked up plans for reform that have languished since a 2013 commission proposal failed to bear fruit. Warsaw initially introduced upping the maximum non-sanctioned delay to five hours, according to several people familiar with the discussion. But some member states, including Germany, oppose the idea. Even a compromise backed by 15 states to increase the threshold to four hours for flights of up to 3,500 kilometres and six hours for longer ones failed to find enough support to pass Wednesday, several European diplomats told AFP. "Long flight delays are a real nuisance. They ruin the start of well-deserved holidays. They disrupt important plans. They cost valuable lifetime," said Stefanie Hubig, Germany's consumer rights minister. Berlin could not agree to any changes "unilaterally aligned" with airlines' interests "just before the holiday season", she added. It is pushing to keep the three-hour threshold but lower compensation to a flat rate of 300 euros, according to diplomatic sources. More flights less money The original plan to allow a five-hour delay could have saved almost 50 percent of flights that are currently cancelled, according to A4E, which represents Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and other companies accounting for more than 80 percent of European air traffic. It would also have stripped about 75 percent of passengers of the right to compensation, said Europe's BEUC umbrella consumer rights group. "This is an unacceptable step back from the current level of protection," it said in a joint statement with consumer associations. Delays and cancellations could cost airlines up to 8.1 billion euros this year, according to the European Commission. Yet, agencies that help passengers get money in exchange for a fee note that of the millions of passengers eligible for compensation, only a fraction each year file a claim. "For European customers this is a disastrous change," Tomasz Pawliszyn, the head of one such firm, Airhelp, told AFP of the planned reform. Since the three-hours threshold has been adopted in other jurisdictions, such as Canada, Turkey and Britain, the changes would generate "confusion" and potentially lead to some European carriers being allowed longer delays than their non-European rivals on some of the same routes, he added. 'Blackmail' The proposed changes are part of a broader package of reforms. This includes some clearly passenger-friendly moves, such as barring airlines from charging for hand-luggage of a standard size and weight. It has nevertheless enraged some European lawmakers, for the Polish presidency of the European Council is seeking to push it through with a rarely-used expedited procedure that limits parliament's say. "The first word that comes to my mind about the council's behaviour is blackmail," Andrey Novakov, a lawmaker with the centre-right EPP and the parliament's rapporteur on the issue told AFP.
Int'l Business Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Longer Flight Delays Without Compensation? EU Plan Divides
The EU is considering allowing airlines to incur longer flight delays without having to compensate passengers in a move that has consumer groups up in arms and is dividing member states. Representatives for the bloc's 27 countries discussed the idea, which proponents say will result in fewer flight cancellations, on Wednesday in Brussels. Carriers currently must pay air travellers in Europe up to 600 euros ($682) for delays of more than three hours, or if a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure. Supporters see the rules dating back to 2004 as an example of the European Union's prowess in defending consumer rights. But airlines say they face a hefty bill, which "perversely" often leads them to cancel flights rather than run them with a long delay -- due to knock-on effect on flight schedules. "Extending the so-called delay thresholds will give airlines more time to move planes and crews across Europe to save flight schedules," said Airlines for Europe (A4E), an industry group. Poland, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, has picked up plans for reform that have languished since a 2013 commission proposal failed to bear fruit. Warsaw initially introduced upping the maximum non-sanctioned delay to five hours, according to several people familiar with the discussion. But some member states, including Germany, oppose the idea. Even a compromise backed by 15 states to increase the threshold to four hours for flights of up to 3,500 kilometres and six hours for longer ones failed to find enough support to pass Wednesday, several European diplomats told AFP. "Long flight delays are a real nuisance. They ruin the start of well-deserved holidays. They disrupt important plans. They cost valuable lifetime," said Stefanie Hubig, Germany's consumer rights minister. Berlin could not agree to any changes "unilaterally aligned" with airlines' interests "just before the holiday season", she added. It is pushing to keep the three-hour threshold but lower compensation to a flat rate of 300 euros, according to diplomatic sources. The original plan to allow a five-hour delay could have saved almost 50 percent of flights that are currently cancelled, according to A4E, which represents Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and other companies accounting for more than 80 percent of European air traffic. It would also have stripped about 75 percent of passengers of the right to compensation, said Europe's BEUC umbrella consumer rights group. "This is an unacceptable step back from the current level of protection," it said in a joint statement with consumer associations. Delays and cancellations could cost airlines up to 8.1 billion euros this year, according to the European Commission. Yet, agencies that help passengers get money in exchange for a fee note that of the millions of passengers eligible for compensation, only a fraction each year file a claim. "For European customers this is a disastrous change," Tomasz Pawliszyn, the head of one such firm, Airhelp, told AFP of the planned reform. Since the three-hours threshold has been adopted in other jurisdictions, such as Canada, Turkey and Britain, the changes would generate "confusion" and potentially lead to some European carriers being allowed longer delays than their non-European rivals on some of the same routes, he added. The proposed changes are part of a broader package of reforms. This includes some clearly passenger-friendly moves, such as barring airlines from charging for hand-luggage of a standard size and weight. It has nevertheless enraged some European lawmakers, for the Polish presidency of the European Council is seeking to push it through with a rarely-used expedited procedure that limits parliament's say. "The first word that comes to my mind about the council's behaviour is blackmail," Andrey Novakov, a lawmaker with the centre-right EPP and the parliament's rapporteur on the issue told AFP. Member states' representatives are to discuss the issue again next week ahead of a meeting of transport ministers on June 5.
