Dublin, 01/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Bus and coach passengers now have rights in the EU since 1 March. All European passengers using all modes of transport are thus now covered.
On 1 March, Regulation 181/2011 came into force, meaning that coach and bus companies and the managers of coach and bus terminals must meet certain obligations towards their passengers. This is already the case for transport by rail, air, and maritime or inland navigation. European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas was delighted, saying: “We have kept our promise: thanks to this regulation, EU passenger rights are also extended to bus and coach transport. The EU is now the first area in the world with a full set of passenger rights for all modes of transport”. Essentially, passengers faced with the problem of overbooking, cancellation or delays of over two hours may request reimbursement of their ticket or re-routing of journeys not exceeding 250 kilometres. Bus and coach companies will also be required to keep passengers informed of any disruption of this kind. They should provide assistance in the form of refreshment or meals, or even accommodation, in the event of cancellation or delays exceeding 90 minutes (journeys of over three hours and over 250 kilometres). Also, transport companies should establish a mechanism for dealing with complaints. Each member states should, therefore, have an independent body with the mandate to enforce the regulation and, where appropriate, to impose penalties. (MD/transl.jl)