International airlines say they are disappointed with the European Union’s changes to passengers’ rights, even though they will no longer have to compensate passengers for delays of less than five hours.
They say that many of the proposed changes will be difficult for governments to enforce, add unnecessary costs and incentivise behaviour by airlines that will be ultimately detrimental to passengers.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed new "trigger" times for when a long delay becomes subject to financial compensation, but it said the legislation deviated from international standards and would be difficult to enforce.
In particular, it is concerned that where passengers book connecting flights, the complete burden for compensation for delays rests on the operator of the first flight.
A new measure to force airlines to find seats for passengers on competing airlines after they have been delayed 12 hours or more has also provoked protest from IATA.
“Airlines will do all that they can to get a passenger to their destination. But the ticket price paid and the cost of re-routing should be related,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO
“If your Bic pen doesn’t work, you don’t expect to get a Mont Blanc as compensation.”
