February 19, 2005 Category:February 19, 2005 The effort by the EU is to discourage airlines from deliberately overbooking flights, a practice which has become routine for most major airlines. Overbooking often leads to “bumping” , where passengers who cannot be guaranteed a seat are moved to a later flight. In future when this happens airlines will have to offer compensation. Additionally, if flights are cancelled or delayed by more than two hours all passengers must be compensated. This will be the case except in “extraordinary circumstances” , the definition of which may or may not include bad weather, security alerts or strikes. “It’ s a preposterous piece of legislation, we among all airlines are fighting this, ” Ryanair deputy chief executive, Michael Cawley told BBC radio 4 ’ s Today programme. It has also been claimed that the advice may mislead customers by having them believe that they may be entitled to compensation if flights are delayed due to bad weather. Marja Quillinan-Meiland, European Commission spokeswoman has said that there are “grey areas” but added “ these are not as big as the airlines are making out. ” Disputed cases would be heard by national enforcement bodies which would decide if there is a case to answer. European Regions Airline Association (ERAA) director of air transport Andy Clarke said “ we reckon it ’ s going to cost European air passengers – not the airlines, the airlines have no money, it has to be paid by the passengers – 1.5bn euros, that ’ s over £1bn a year loaded onto European passengers. That ’ s basically a transfer of money from passengers whose journeys are not disrupted to passengers whose journeys are disrupted. ”
February 19, 2005 The effort by the EU is to discourage airlines from deliberately overbooking flights, a practice which has become routine for most major airlines. Overbooking often leads to "bumping" , where passengers who cannot be guaranteed a seat are moved to a later flight. In future when this happens airlines will have to offer compensation. Additionally, if flights are cancelled or delayed by more than two hours all passengers must be compensated. This will be the case except in "extraordinary circumstances" , the definition of which may or may not include bad weather, security alerts or strikes. "It' s a preposterous piece of legislation, we among all airlines are fighting this, " Ryanair deputy chief executive, Michael Cawley told BBC radio 4 ' s Today programme. It has also been claimed that the advice may mislead customers by having them believe that they may be entitled to compensation if flights are delayed due to bad weather. Marja Quillinan-Meiland, European Commission spokeswoman has said that there are "grey areas" but added " these are not as big as the airlines are making out. " Disputed cases would be heard by national enforcement bodies which would decide if there is a case to answer. European Regions Airline Association (ERAA) director of air transport Andy Clarke said " we reckon it ' s going to cost European air passengers – not the airlines, the airlines have no money, it has to be paid by the passengers – 1.5bn euros, that ' s over £1bn a year loaded onto European passengers. That ' s basically a transfer of money from passengers whose journeys are not disrupted to passengers whose journeys are disrupted. "
D
Category:February 19, 2005
R
“bumping”
"bumping"
R
“extraordinary circumstances”
"extraordinary circumstances"
R
“It’
"It'
R
”
"
R
’
'
R
“grey areas” but added “
"grey areas" but added "
R
”
"
R
“
"
R
’
'
R
’
'
R
’
'
R
”
"