Latest news with #passengerrights
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
Holiday flight delays, cancellations, denials or downgrades: know your rights
Heading on holiday this summer? If you've booked a flight, you might be feeling some airport anxiety. Fear of flying is one thing, but fear of not flying can also loom large. Once upon a time, it was only striking air traffic controllers or baggage handlers who could nix your holiday plans. More recently, climate events such as floods, wildfires and extreme turbulence, anti-tourism protests and technical glitches are adding to the mix. [ Why is Spain introducing tighter regulations for tourists? Opens in new window ] Wildfires in Greece, flash floods in Valencia, an electrical substation fire at Heathrow and a mass power outage in Spain and Portugal have all stopped flights in the past 12 months. But if your plane is delayed or doesn't fly, what are your rights , and can you get a refund or compensation? A whopping €1,197,230 in compensation was paid to passengers on the back of 1,726 complaints about airlines upheld by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) last year. Passengers were also paid more than €360,000 in refunds as a result of complaints to the body. READ MORE If your flight is cancelled, or delayed by more than two hours, or you are denied boarding or are downgraded, you may have grounds for complaint. The majority of successful complaints last year related to cancellations and delays. Aer Lingus accounted for 33 per cent of all complaints received by the IAA in the 12 months and Ryanair for 31 per cent. The IAA received 23 complaints from people with reduced mobility. Flight delays A delayed or cancelled flight is a total pain. When you're grounded and waiting to fly, for hours or even days, food, accommodation and transport costs can quickly rack up. If your flight is delayed, your entitlement to help from the airline is linked to the distance to your destination and the length of the delay. For short-haul flights – less than 1,500km – where the delay is under two hours, you'll generally just have to suck it up. So, if your Dublin to London, Brussels, Milan or Paris flight is delayed for two hours or less, your best remedy is a good book. For destinations in Europe of more than 1,500km, and all other flights up to 3,500km, the delay must be greater than three hours before the law demands 'care and assistance' from your airline. Think flights from Ireland to Malta or Rome. 'Care and assistance' means food and refreshments, hotel accommodation and transport to and from there if an overnight stay becomes necessary. You're entitled to two telephone calls or emails too. If the airline doesn't provide you with anything and you need to make your own arrangements, keep receipts to claim the money back from them, says the IAA. For long-haul destinations more than 3,500km away, such as North America or Cape Town, the delay must be greater than four hours before a legal entitlement to assistance kicks in You're not expected to know how far away your destination is by the way. The Great Circle website calculator is the recommended way to work it out. A delay of five hours or more to any destination is pretty scuppering. If you decide not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund, says the IAA. Compensation If your plane flies but you get to your destination three hours late, you are entitled to compensation. The amount you can claim depends on whether the flight is short, medium or long haul and compensation is paid at €250, €400 to €600 per person accordingly. Compensation for long-haul flights may be halved if you arrive less than four hours late. If your flight is delayed by 'extraordinary circumstances' you can't claim compensation. 'Extraordinary circumstances' include air traffic control decisions, political instability, bad weather or security risks. For the majority of failed passenger complaints to IAA last year, the airline proved there had been extraordinary circumstances Your airline has to prove their delay was specifically linked to the extraordinary circumstance. Aircraft technical issues, wonky stairs or striking staff are not extraordinary circumstances. Where there are extraordinary circumstances, no compensation is due beyond care, assistance and rerouting. If you can't get to the airport due to 'extraordinary circumstances', the airline does not have any obligations to you if they are not the cause of the disruption. Flight cancellations Flights get cancelled and, if yours is one of them, the airline must offer you a choice of rerouting as soon as possible; rerouting at a later date at your convenience; or a refund. If you choose to be rerouted as soon as possible, the airline must provide you with meals and refreshments corresponding to the waiting time, and hotel accommodation if an overnight stay is required. If you get more than two weeks' notice of the cancellation, you're not entitled to compensation from the airline. If you got between seven days and two weeks' notice and you opted for rerouting that departed no more than two hours before your original departure time and arrived no more than four hours after the original arrival time, you are not entitled to compensation either. However, if your rerouting was outside of those time frames, you are entitled to compensation unless the airline can prove the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances. If you got less than seven days notice of the cancellation and your rerouting departed no more than one hour before the original departure time and arrived no more than two hours after the original arrival time, you are not entitled to airline compensation. But again, if your rerouting was outside of those time frames, you are entitled to compensation unless the air carrier can prove the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances. Denied boarding If you've confirmed your flight, you've got your passport, you're in good time and pose no health or security risk, you could still be 'involuntarily' denied boarding. This can happen if the flight is overbooked, for example. If this happens, the airline must offer you a choice of rerouting as soon as possible, rerouting at a later date at your convenience or a full refund. If you choose rerouting, they must offer you care and assistance while waiting for your alternative flight. Passengers involuntarily denied boarding must also be compensated. The amount depends on the journey distance and the time frame within which you were rerouted. How to complain If you have an issue, raise it with the airline first, says the IAA, which provides useful complaint templates on its website for doing so. If you have no joy, contact the relevant enforcement body in the EU member state where the flight was due to depart. The IAA website provides all their contact details. So, if your Dublin-Malaga flight was disrupted, you would contact the IAA. They are the enforcement body for flights out of Irish airports, or a flight into an airport here from a country outside the EU but which is operated by an EU-licensed carrier. If it was the return Malaga-Dublin flight that was disrupted, you would contact the Spanish enforcement body. Likewise, if your Aer Lingus flight from New York to Dublin is delayed, contact the IAA, but if the flight was with American Airlines, contact the US department of transportation as American Airlines is not licensed in Europe. You can contact us at OnTheMoney@ with personal finance questions you would like to see us address. If you missed last week's newsletter, you can read it here .
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
‘Cabin baggage wars' set for another major battle – here's what it means for airline passengers
Taking two pieces of cabin baggage on board a flight is 'a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs', according to the European Parliament. The legislators believe some budget airlines are penalising passengers by permitting only one 'small personal item' with the cheapest tickets. MEPs want to force carriers to allow two pieces of hand luggage. The move is the latest strike in the ' cabin baggage wars ' that broke out two decades ago. Up to and including 2005, almost every airline allowed around 20kg of checked luggage as part of the ticket price. So there was no big squeeze: passengers naturally packed voluminous and heavy stuff in their free checked allowance. Then a now-defunct airline, Flybe, started charging extra for checked-in luggage. Quickly Ryanair, easyJet and others followed suit in charging for checked luggage. Inevitably, travellers switched en masse to cabin baggage. Initially passengers were allowed chunky cabin baggage – typically one roll-along case and a smaller backpack or laptop case. That is still the policy of British Airways, Jet2 and many other airlines. But the giant budget airlines have shrunk the amount they allow and charge a ludicrously large sum for taking larger cabin baggage. On many cheap flights on easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air, taking a 'large cabin bag' can roughly double the cost of the trip. To make matters worse, the three budget giants have different dimensions for the 'small personal item'. Now the European Parliament is demanding that all airlines should allow second piece of luggage as well. What could this mean for travellers? These are the key questions and answers. What has been agreed? The transport and tourism committee of the European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly that: 'Passengers should have a right to carry on board one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop (maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 15cm), and one small hand luggage (maximum dimensions of 100cm and 7kg) without an additional fee.' The crucial points are that the 'small hand luggage' will be in addition to the current free 'personal item'. It has been reported as allowing passengers to bring a roll-along or trolley case on board. But looking at the policy voted upon, it would be tiny. To comply with 'maximum dimensions of 100cm' the second bag would need to be something like 45 x 35 x 20cm, which adds up to 100cm. Yet oddly that is actually smaller than easyJet's existing free personal bag. The maximum volume of something with dimensions of 100cm is about 37 litres, far less than the current allowance for a paid trolley bag on any airline. What is the European Parliament saying? 'Today's vote marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel,' says Matteo Ricci, the rapporteur on enforcement of passenger rights. 'The clear definition of free hand luggage up to a maximum size of 100cm [is] a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs.' Earlier this year 16 consumer groups from across the EU, under the main European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) umbrella, demanded 'a small item and a piece of hand luggage' to be included with every air fare. Already courts in Italy and Spain have come down on the side of the passenger wanting to bring two pieces of cabin baggage, with fines imposed on various budget airlines, particularly Ryanair. Appeals are currently in progress. What happens next? Later this year the committee's proposal will be voted on by the European Parliament. The plan is likely to be rubber-stamped. But that is still a long way from anything of this nature coming into effect. Once the parliament in Brussels (or Strasbourg, depending on the week) votes in favour, the issue goes to a 'trilogue'. What's a trilogue? 'An informal inter-institutional negotiation bringing together representatives of the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission,' says the EU. 'The aim of a trilogue is to reach a provisional agreement on a legislative proposal that is acceptable to both the Parliament and the Council, the co-legislators. This provisional agreement must then be adopted by each of those institutions' formal procedures.' In other words, a talking shop where individual member states make their views heard. It is likely that Italy and Spain – where ministers have lobbied in favour of extra free cabin bags – will want to push through the new rules. But they are likely to face opposition from countries such as Ireland and Hungary, which are homes of Ryanair and Wizz Air respectively, seeking to protect these big companies from new legislation. The UK, having chosen the many glorious benefits of Brexit in favour of any influence in Europe, will not be at the party – though easyJet Europe, based in Austria, could have its views heard. Who could possibly argue against consumers getting a better deal? Budget airlines say these proposals are both unworkable and anti-consumer – reducing choice and increasing cost. Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, says that 39 per cent of its passengers currently travel only with the small personal item. A spokesperson for Wizz Air said the plan would 'make flying more expensive for millions of travellers ... forcing passengers to pay for services they may not use'. The carrier says increasing the free allowance would slow down the boarding process and 'undermine the operational efficiency and low-cost model that make affordable air travel possible in Europe'. Michael O'Leary of Ryanair told The Independent: 'We can only allow about half the passengers to bring a wheelie bag on board. There isn't space on board the aircraft for any more bags. 'So we don't think there's going to be any legislation that will impose a right, impose on all airlines, 'You must take all these wheelie bags' – because the aircraft won't fit the bags.' MEPs will no doubt say that's the airline's problem, and if necessary the carrier could allow people to check baggage free of charge. But it all adds complexity and cost. When the last UK government started looking into the issue in November 2023, a senior aviation figure compared the idea of bundling in an automatic right to take more cabin baggage to making everyone who orders a pizza pay for extra toppings they may not want. But this is EU legislation – surely the UK could ignore any such law? On domestic flights and links from the UK to non-EU destinations such as Morocco and Montenegro, British carriers would not have to comply. But many links from the UK to European Union destinations are operated by EU airlines – including Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet Europe. Were a new 'two cabin bags' law to come in, it is likely that the big airlines would have a uniform policy to avoid even more confusion. Of course, British Airways and Jet2 would comply anyway with their current cabin bag allowances. Why do British Airways and Jet2 have different policies to the others? Because of their specific business models. BA carries many intercontinental passengers, who are accustomed to taking two pieces of cabin baggage – which are easily accommodated in wide-bodied aircraft. It would not be reasonable to have a different European policy. On a typical Jet2 flight, half the passengers are on Jet2 Holidays packages and get a 22kg checked baggage allowance. So in my experience there is never any overcrowding in the overhead bins on Jet2 flights. The Leeds-based firm can market its more generous cabin baggage limit as a customer benefit. What do you think will happen? European airlines will coalesce on common limits for the 'small personal item' that is currently free for everyone. That would enable to them to comply with a separate European Parliament resolution in 2024 calling for 'EU-wide harmonisation' of baggage rules. To align, Ryanair would need to increase one of its dimensions by 5cm. Michael O'Leary has indicated that would be possible. It might be enough for the airlines to dodge the EU bullet on a second bag.
CBC
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Air travel complaints backlog could soar to 126,000 by 2028
Social Sharing Alex Laferrière was so frustrated by the treatment he, his wife and infant son received from Air Canada when their flights were delayed last July that he filed a complaint with the airline regulator. But he was even more disturbed to learn that the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has a backlog of complaints — over 87,000 — and it could take over two years for his case to be resolved "I thought, are you joking?" said Laferrière, from his home in Sturgeon Falls, Ont. "That delay is completely unreasonable." And now, new data obtained under Access to Information and provided to Go Public shows that backlog could increase dramatically — by as much as 45 per cent by 2028. "That's absolute nonsense," said Laferrière. "The system seems broken." An air passenger advocate agrees, and blames lengthy delays on the CTA's method of adjudicating complaints. "The system is way too complicated," said Gábor Lukács, founder of Air Passenger Rights. "It requires an unreasonable amount of resources to deal with each complaint." The CTA is an independent, quasi-judicial agency that reports to Parliament through Minister of Transport Chrystia Freeland. A spokesperson for Freeland said in a statement that the waitlist "must be addressed" and that the government is working to improve air passenger protections. Data regarding the backlog was obtained through Access to Information by public policy researcher Ken Rubin, who asked the CTA to project the number of complaints passengers will submit over the next three years. It provided low-, mid- and upper-range projections for 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28, based on forecasting done in May 2023. WATCH | Lengthy delays at CTA: In an email to Go Public, a spokesperson said the projections were, in part, "based on historical complaint volumes" but that the number of complaints has "continued to increase year over year," so the predictions could be low. Using the best-case prediction — which assumes the number of complaints filed drastically drops and the CTA continues to close them at its most recent rate — the backlog could decrease to 63,763 by 2028. But complaint volumes have been increasing since the CTA did its forecast. Using the worst-case projections, by 2028 the backlog could reach 126,000 — an increase of 45 per cent. That means disgruntled passengers could be left waiting well over three years for a decision. "I work in customer service at a credit union," said Laferrière. "If I told someone they have to wait 36 months for a mortgage, that would not be acceptable." What's causing the backlog? Lukács says the problem is that complaints about flight disruptions are broadly categorized into three groups: situations within the airline's control, situations within the airline's control but required for safety, and situations outside the airline's control. "We have an unnecessarily and disproportionately complex regime," said Lukács. "Which necessitates an extraordinary amount of evidence and a disproportionate amount of judicial time to decide whether compensation is owed." Lukács advocates adopting the European Union's system, where airlines can only avoid paying compensation under "extraordinary circumstances" — which do not include maintenance, many safety issues and staffing shortages. "In the vast majority of cases, eligibility becomes a very quick administrative task that can be done by people with very basic training," said Lukács. Call for harsher penalties The other issue, says Lukács, is the lack of steep penalties when airlines refuse to compensate passengers who are clearly owed compensation and are then forced to file with the CTA. In one example reported on Lukács's Air Passenger Rights Facebook page, a WestJet passenger's flight was delayed over seven hours but the airline denied her compensation, claiming it was a safety issue. When the CTA investigated and requested evidence, the airline didn't provide any and eventually paid the $700 owed under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations. "There is no incentive for the airline to pay a perfectly valid legitimate claim under the rules," said Lukács. "Even where the airline has no evidence to support its position, they're just going to refuse to pay because most passengers may not have the stamina to pursue their case." Laferrière says he knows four other people who experienced the same flight delays as his family, but none filed CTA complaints. "Everyone said, 'Good luck. We're not going to waste our time with this,'" he said. Any penalties "should ensure that it becomes less profitable to break the law than to comply with the law," said Lukács. "The purpose is fostering compliance." Slow to implement cost recovery scheme In 2023, the federal government called on the CTA to implement a cost-recovery mechanism, which would force airlines to contribute to the cost of the complaint resolution process. The CTA proposed charging airlines $790 for each eligible complaint closed by the agency. Lukács says the penalty should be significantly higher, but payable only when "the complaint is found to have at least some merit." The cost-recovery plan has yet to be implemented, despite the CTA chair and CEO France Pégeot's saying one would be in place by the end of last year. A CTA spokesperson said there is no date set for the fee to be enacted. Since the CTA began consulting on the proposal last September, WestJet has met with various government officials at least 17 times to discuss, among other things, the CTA's "cost recovery proposals," lobbying records show. Air Canada has also lobbied government officials more than 20 times since last fall, but its monthly lobbying reports are less specific than WestJet's, listing only "transportation" or "aviation related policies, legislation and regulations" as the topics discussed. Two years ago, Ottawa designated almost $76 million to improve the complaints resolution process, yet the backlog has steadily increased. The government is in the process of updating the regulations — but Lukács says the proposed changes will define the vast majority of flight delays and cancellations as "exceptional circumstances" so no compensation will be owed. "It's just rebranding the same old broken system," said Lukács. Until that happens, Lukács doesn't recommend frustrated air passengers turn to the CTA — instead, he encourages them to file complaints in small claims court. Laferrière says, even though it's already been almost a year since he filed his complaint with the CTA, he's going to stick it out — curious to see when his case will be heard. He says it's "frustrating" to see taxpayer dollars fund an agency that doesn't seem accountable.
Travel Daily News
09-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
ERA: Revised passenger rights ignore regional airline needs
ERA warns revised EU261 fails regional airlines, risking essential connectivity with stricter rules and insufficient exemptions for PSO and short-haul operators. The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) raises concern following the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council's agreement on its position for revising the Passenger Rights Regulation, EU261. While the update includes some long-overdue improvements, such as the introduction of a binding, non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances, and brings much-needed legal clarity, it ultimately fails to reflect the specific realities of regional air transport and risks weakening Europe's essential air connectivity. Raising the delay threshold from three to five hours for short-haul flights, as originally proposed, was particularly vital for regional carriers. These airlines typically operate smaller aircraft on tighter schedules, without the flexibility of standby planes or reserve crews. The Council's limited increase to just four hours is a step in the right direction but ultimately falls short. Worse still, no exemptions have been granted for PSO (Public Service Obligation) flights. These routes are often the only link for remote or underserved communities and operate on extremely tight margins. Increasing compensation from 250 euros to 300 euros, while denying PSO flights any flexibility, places an excessive burden on the carriers delivering essential services. Other new obligations, including automatic reimbursement, the right to rebook after three hours on other carriers or transport modes, and potential self-rerouting of up to 400% of ticket value, further exacerbate the economic pressure on regional operators already stretched to maintain services. 'This was a chance to strike a fair balance between protecting passengers and safeguarding the regional air services that so many rely on,' said Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA. 'Yet regional airlines have been overlooked. The revision in its current form risks damaging the financial sustainability of regional operations and, by extension, the connectivity of Europe's regions.' As the European Parliament now examines the text, ERA urges policymakers to reconsider. A one-size-fits-all approach fails Europe's most vulnerable air routes. A fair and future-proof regulatory framework must support the economic realities of regional aviation and protect the connectivity that keeps communities and economies across Europe connected.
CNN
31-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- CNN
Stand up on the plane too early? You could be risking a fine
This week in travel news: A park that's home to the real Batcave, Asia's underrated adventure destination, and a Canadian-American romance that happened in Mexico. We all want to get off the plane as soon as it lands, but that can become a disorderly scramble, even before the aircraft has come to halt. Now the Turkish government has decided enough is enough. A memo from the country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation says that passengers can be fined if they 'stand up, go to the corridor, open the overhead bins and proceed along the aisles … despite the announcements about the rules during taxi after landing, when the aircraft has not yet reached the parking position and the seat belt warning lights have not turned off.' The amount of the fine was not mentioned, and it's unclear if anyone has actually been given one. But considering that IGA Istanbul Airport is the best connected airport in the world and this rule applies to all commercial flights entering the country, there are a lot of travelers who could potentially come under scrutiny. Besides the people who stand up before the plane is safely at the gate, fines can also be issued to 'passengers who use or attempt to use smoke-producing devices or products (aka vapes) on the aircraft.' Even if you live in an urban area, there are still ways to get out and enjoy the great outdoors this summer. CNN's Sara Sidner finds happiness on horseback in LA's Griffith Park, which might just be the greatest city park in the US. Among the highlights: a Merry-Go-Round that inspired a guy named Walt Disney to think about building a theme park, various hiking and biking trails, Griffith Observatory, the Los Angeles Zoo, and any number of spots where your favorite movies and TV shows were filmed — including the real Batcave from the original '60s TV show. If your summer travel dreams take you farther afield, one Asian destination is becoming a major hub for wellness and outdoor pursuits. Taiwan is home to an inviting mix of different landscapes. Locals flock to Sun Moon Lake and Taroko Gorge, but there are also 260 peaks over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), plus beaches, campsites, hiking trails and scenic train rides to choose from. Planning to get in the water this summer? Our friends at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have tried and tested the best one-piece swimsuits for women of all body types. It sounds like the plot of a romcom: a Canadian librarian ran off with an American yacht captain during the heady summer of 1968. But it's all true. Beverly Carriveau and Bob Parsons met in Mazatlan, Mexico. She says that it was like 'a thunderbolt' when she first glimpsed Parsons through a window in the hotel gift shop. Later, he sent a bottle of white wine over to the table where she was dining with her friend. From there, it was history. The couple were married for 52 years until Parsons' death five years ago. This is just one of the many stories of how travel can build lifelong connections. Check out Chance Encounters for more — or to submit one of your own. A man lost an AirPod under his train seat. It took 11 firefighters to rescue him — and the AirPod. This Japanese airport got a Sanrio makeover. Now landing at Hello Kitty International. Southwest will start charging for checked bags. Prices begin at $35. New Zealand has named its 'bug of the year.' It's an ancient worm that spits poison goo.
