On Monday 22 July, the European Commission published updated interpretative guidelines on air passenger rights. These guidelines aim to facilitate compliance with regulations and harmonise enforcement by national bodies.
Since 2016, the Commission has been providing guidelines to address common concerns raised by national enforcement bodies, passengers and their associations, and industry representatives. This update takes particular account of rulings handed down by the Court of Justice since 2016, clarifying certain provisions (see EUROPE 13411/17). Revised guidelines on the rights of passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility during air travel have also been published.
While passenger rights are defined at EU level, their application is the responsibility of transport service providers and enforcement is the responsibility of national bodies. Differences between national practices can be a source of confusion for passengers, particularly when travelling across borders.
A new Eurobarometer survey reveals that most Europeans still feel poorly informed about passenger rights. 35% of passengers have seen information on passenger rights, 13% more than in 2019, particularly at railway stations. 75% of plane passengers received pre-travel information on their rights, compared to 61% for rail. 84% of respondents who requested assistance for people with disabilities or reduced mobility were satisfied with the response.
To read the guidelines: https://aeur.eu/f/d3d
To read the Eurobarometer survey: https://aeur.eu/f/d3e (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)