Brussels, 12/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - At its March plenary session, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) adopted an opinion on the Commission's communication on the protection of air passengers in the EU (rapporteur: Alexander-Michael von Schwerin, Workers' Group, Germany) in which is shares the Commission's view that the right balance needs to be struck between Community legislation and voluntary codes of conduct by airlines and airports and thinks that voluntary agreements should be in place by May 2001. If voluntary agreements fail to address consumer rights adequately, the ESC feels that legislation should be introduced. Both voluntary and statutory arrangements must make consumer rights and fares more transparent and the rights of consumers affected by overbookings (denied boarding) should be improved. The ESC supports blanket transferability of tickets but step should be taken to ensure that the conditions governing special fares cannot be systematically circumvented by phantom bookings which are then passed on to late bookers.