At the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (TTE) Council meeting in Luxembourg, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis, alongside his EU counterparts, discussed measures to enhance air passenger rights. Minister Sabutis voiced concerns regarding proposals to raise the minimum delay time required for compensation and to reduce compensation amounts, reports Ministry of Transport and Communications.
“While we recognize the need to review and clarify the regulation, our priority remains ensuring that air passengers receive fair treatment. We have reservations about proposals that would increase the delay threshold for compensation and reduce compensation levels, as they could reduce several key elements of passenger protection”, said Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis.
Lithuania welcomes the proposal to update the regulation on air passenger rights, as it aims to provide greater clarity for both passengers and air carriers by more precisely defining various aspects of travel disruption. However, one of the key elements of the draft – extending the delay threshold for compensation eligibility and reducing compensation amounts – is, in the view of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, a significant step backward in protecting passenger rights.
To clarify certain key principles and unclarities that exist around the current regulations, the Commission proposed an update of the regulations in 2013. After years of stalled negotiations, The Polish Presidency subsequently decided to take up this file again as one of their priorities.
According to the Council’s proposal, compensation for flight delays would be set at 300 euros for delays of more than four hours on journeys under 3 500km, and 500 euros for delays exceeding six hours on journeys over 3 500km. In addition, in cases of flight cancellations or passenger requests for a refund, airlines would be required to provide pre-filled compensation request forms, eliminating the need for passengers to submit separate applications.
The Council’s position on the revised regulation, which aims to enhance the rights of air passengers, should recognize diversions to other airports or significant changes in departure times as equivalent to flight cancellations.
Furthermore, the regulation should ensure minimum comfort standards in cases of tarmac delays, enable passengers to independently select alternative travel arrangements, establish clear and timely complaint-handling procedures, and strengthen provisions for passengers with special needs.