EU Flight Delay Compensation Reform: A Contentious Tussle Among EU States
Disagreements amid EU countries regarding proposed amendments to flight delay compensation rules - Disagreements persist among EU nations regarding proposed changes to airline compensation rules for flight delays
The EU is mulling over a fresh wave of reforms to its flight delay compensation rules. The proposed changes suggest a substantial hike in the threshold for compensation, currently pegged at three hours, with the new threshold proposed at five hours for regular flights, and even longer for long-haul ones.
Yet, the 27 EU member states are far from reaching a consensus on this matter. A compromise, if it materializes, could take a different shape. Germany, as per diplomatic sources, has put forward a counter-proposal, where the threshold remains unaltered at three hours but the compensation becomes a flat rate of €300.
Critics of these reform plans are aplenty. André Duderstadt, an aviation rights expert at the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, opines that the ambitious reforms might leave numerous passengers in the lurch. However, if a three-hour threshold is maintained, that could be seen as a victory.
Poland, currently occupying the rotating presidency of the Council of the 27 EU countries, is working on a new compromise proposal to be presented by Wednesday. If a majority is garnered among the transport ministers during their meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday, the Council would then engage in negotiations with the European Parliament, although momentum in these discussions is anticipated only later in the autumn.
- EU
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- Flight
The EU Commission's proposals delve deeper into the alterations. Under the new system, flights up to 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) would see a four-hour delay threshold, with a compensation of €300. For longer flights surpassing 3,500 kilometers, passengers would be eligible for €500 if the flight is delayed by six hours or more. Moreover, the compensation amounts for flights up to 3,500 kilometers would decrease from €400 to €300, and for longer flights, from €600 to €500.
Despite the proposed changes aiming to streamline the compensation process, they have stirred up dissent among consumer organizations and some EU member states. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) believes the new thresholds could disqualify most passengers from receiving compensation. Additionally, Spain, Germany, Estonia, and Portugal have registered their votes against the proposal, with Spain expressing concerns that the new rules unfairly disadvantage passengers.
As the draft proposal is slated to be negotiated with the European Parliament, the final legislation is yet to take shape, often a testament to compromise and concession. The proposed measures also encompass an obligation for airlines to provide a form for automatic compensation processing in case of flight cancellations, considered a significant step forward for passenger rights.
- Despite the EU Commission's proposals aiming to streamline the compensation process, they have stirred up dissent among consumer organizations and some EU member states like Spain, Germany, Estonia, and Portugal, as they believe the new thresholds could disqualify most passengers from receiving compensation.
- Businesses and politicians are closely following the EU's reform plan for flight delay compensation, as it could significantly impact the finance sector, affecting not only airlines but also general-news outlets that report on travel-related issues, as well as the broader politics of the EU.
