V. Sinkevičius stated in a comment posted on Facebook that the situation is unusual – for the first time in 13 years, it was necessary to start the so-called conciliation procedure.
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“Simply put, this is the last attempt to reach an agreement when all previous negotiations have ended in a deadlock. Negotiations have so far failed due to one fundamental issue: when a passenger is entitled to compensation,” said the MEP.
According to him, the European Parliament holds a clear position: if a flight is delayed by more than 3 hours, the passenger must have the right to compensation.
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“Some countries want to raise this limit to 6 hours. This would mean that many people who spend hours at airports would no longer receive anything,” warned V. Sinkevičius.
He added that they are also fighting for:
– no reduction in compensation;
– hand luggage to remain free of charge;
– families to be able to sit together without additional fees;
– hidden fees for check-in or booking error corrections to be banned;
– people not to be left alone with their problems if an airline goes bankrupt.
“The rules currently in force were created back in 2004. Since then, the market has changed radically: Ryanair, Wizz Air, and other carriers have become our main choices. Many practices previously applied only by low-cost carriers are now being adopted by traditional airlines. Therefore, clear rules protecting travelers are more important than ever in the market,” emphasized V. Sinkevičius.
