WRITTEN QUESTION E-1189/01

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Economy-class syndrome

There have recently been a number of cases of what is termed economy-class syndrome, which has led to the deaths of passengers travelling on long-haul flights as a result of their being required to sit for hours in the same position in the cramped seating of aircraft used on intercontinental flights.

This phenomenon is simply a consequence of the fact that the airlines are trying to make as much use as possible of the space available on aircraft in order to increase the profitability of long-haul flights. However, the situation has reached such a stage that, in order to protect the lives of passengers, regulations should be introduced which dictate the amount of space to which each passenger should be entitled in order to be able to move around enough to prevent the occurrence of the dreaded embolism caused by economy-class syndrome.

In view of the above, does the Commission not think that it should take action to protect the lives of passengers on intercontinental flights by introducing regulations which will oblige airlines to provide adequate seating?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2001)

The Commission is well aware of recent reports and developments in the field of Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and cabin conditions and is taking passengers' concerns very seriously. It has examined various reports, in particular that of the Select Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Lords.

On the basis of a preliminary assessment, the Commission has not found real substance in the extreme claims about health risks from air travel. However, it takes the danger of health risks most seriously, in particular that of DVT, the more so as data is poor on the incidence of the complaint.

Consequently, as a first precaution, Mrs de Palacio, Vice-President of the Commission responsible for transport policy has written to the presidents of the Association of European Airlines, the European Regions Airlines Association and the International Air Carrier Association, urging their members to take precautionary measures in relation to DVT. In her letter, she has urged airlines to act rapidly to minimise the risks by informing passengers when they make reservations or order tickets, on the risks, on predisposing factors and on precautionary measures to take before long flights and advise them, once on board the aircraft, on what to do to lessen the chance of thrombosis.

A number of airlines have already introduced, on their own initiative, pre-boarding warnings and/or in-flight advice (leaflets, videos, in-flight magazines showing exercises, recommending what to do and what to avoid, etc).

Originally, as indicated in a previous Joint reply to Written Questions E-0151/01 of Mr Hatzidakis, E-0155/01 of Mrs Roth-Behrendt and Mr Souladakis, E-0191/01 of Mr Davies, E-0233/01 of Mrs Garcia Orcoyen Tormo, E-0271/01 of Mr Duin and P-0353/01 of Sir Robert Atkins(1), the Commission had intended to set up expert groups, one on the effects of DVT and the other on air quality and cabin conditions.

In the meantime, in view of various initiatives, and in particular a specialised conference organised by the World Health Organisation in March 2001, the Commission is of the opinion that it would be more efficient to contribute financially to research to be undertaken at international level, covering the following aspects:

1. establish whether there is an association between air travel and DVT, quantify this association, if it exists, and provide clues to aetiological factors;

2. special studies involving groups of volunteers, examining isolated independent environmental and behavioral risk factors;

3. interventional study to assess preventive measures with standardised diagnostic methods, involving passengers in experimental well-controlled studies.

This research programme is due to be launched in the summer of 2001.

The Commission will not fail to forward the results of this work to the Parliament, once completed. However, in the current status of scientific knowledge, the Commission does not intend to propose a new regulation in this matter.

(1) OJ C 235 E, 21.8.2001, p. 132.