Sound the Alarm for Air Passengers: Potential EU Regulation Change Meaning Less Delay Compensation
Critics voice concerns over EU proposal altering compensation for flight disruptions
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Travelers should brace themselves as EU plans to alter compensation laws for flight delays may leave plenty of passengers in the lurch, according to consumer advocates. "Individuals who genuinely face difficulties could end up empty-handed in the future," warned André Duderstadt, passenger rights representative at the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), in an interview with news agency AFP on Tuesday.
The European Commission proposed updates in 2013, which include raising the barrier for compensation significantly. At present, a three-hour delay triggers compensation, but the changes propose that there should be five hours of delay for a standard payment, and potentially even twelve hours for long-haul flights in some instances.
The decision on this reform has yet to be made: The 27 EU member states were deadlocked on changes at a recent meeting. Poland, presiding over the Council of the 27 states, drives the negotiations forward and seeks consensus at the meeting of EU transport ministers on Thursday in Luxembourg. A compromise outcome could differ significantly from the Commission's proposal; as diplomats report, Germany has put forward a counter-proposal in which the threshold remains at three hours, but compensation is set at a flat 300 euros, resulting in relatively reduced payments on average.
vzbv representative Duderstadt generally welcomed this proposal. "This would guarantee that all passengers currently eligible for compensation would maintain this eligibility," he said. vzbv continues to champion higher compensation: "At this point, the final say has not been spoken yet." If a majority of the 27 member states agree on Thursday, they will have to negotiate with the European Parliament, discussions that are likely to pick up momentum in the fall.
Sources: ntv.de, AFP
Additional Insights:- Threshold Increase: If the proposed changes come to fruition, the delay threshold could potentially increase to four hours for flights under 3,500 km, and potentially to six hours for longer flights[1][2].- Consumer Concerns: Consumer groups are alarmed by the possible changes, fearing that up to 85% of currently entitled passengers may lose their entitlement to compensation, potentially leading to decreased flight punctuality[4].- German Counter-Proposal: The suggested counter-proposal from Germany involves keeping the threshold at three hours, but offering a flat 300 euro compensation, resulting in an average decrease in payment[3].
- The proposed EU changes to flight delay compensation laws, as advocated by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, may lead to concerns within various employment policies and industries, especially in the travel sector, as up to 85% of currently entitled passengers may lose their entitlement to compensation.
- If the pending decision on EU flight delay compensation reform results in a compromise outcome similar to the German counter-proposal, it could impact both employment policies and lifestyle choices, as the threshold for compensation would remain at three hours, but the amount of compensation would be a fixed 300 euros, potentially leading to reduced financial support for many passengers.
