Airline bankruptcies: solution sought to help compensate passengers

Airline bankruptcies: solution sought to help compensate passengers
Credit: © Belga

Mechanisms to make it compulsory for airlines to compensate passengers in the event of bankruptcy will be proposed to the European authorities, two French consumer rights organisations said on Monday.

Currently, the buyer of a flight only is very unlikely to be reimbursed if the airline goes bankrupt, whether he has purchased his ticket personally or through a travel agency. On the other hand, when a package has been purchased from a tour operator, the latter is responsible. Before the flight, it must refund the customer or propose an alternative solution. During the trip, it must redirect the traveller at its own expense.

The European Consumer Centre (CEC) France and the National Federation of Transport Users' Associations (FNAUT) announced that they will contact each Member of the European Parliament to encourage them to make it compulsory for airlines to take out insurance. This would be based on the model of the insurance that travel agencies have had to pay since 2018.

"It would be left to each country to choose its own system, but it would have to be mandatory. Tour operators did not rebel when it came into effect," the CEC said.

The Brussels Times


Copyright © 2024 The Brussels Times. All Rights Reserved.