Brussels, 28/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission was during the month of October to present its proposal of directive aimed at improving passenger information on the airline companies that they choose as well as on the level of security of these companies. The directive should also allow passengers to benefit from certain rights including the right to cancel the contract made either with the tour operator or with the air carrier, if the airline company presents an insufficient level of security. This proposal had been announced by Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio after the accident involving a Boeing aircraft of the Egyptian Flash Airlines, an accident that had caused the death of all 148 persons on board. The day after the disaster, information had revealed that the carrier was banned from flying toward Switzerland for safety reasons. This information was not known to passengers, some of whom did not even know the name of the airline with which they were flying.
Drawing lessons from this accident, the Commission proposes to improve passenger information and passengers' rights. From the moment when passengers buy their air tickets, they should know the name of the airline company with which they will be flying as well as any information showing an insufficient level of security in that company. Once the contract is concluded, any change in carrier should be immediately notified to passengers. Should this happen, if the journey has not yet begun and if the new airline proposed does not have a sufficient level of security (if, for example, it were banned from entering the territory of a Member State), then passengers should be able to cancel their contract to travel. If the journey has already begun, then they should be able to demand that another company be used for the return journey. In the case of an airline that is considered as safe when a contract is taken out but which then presents an insufficient level of security, passengers should also have the possibility to cancel a contract or demand a change of carrier.
The Commission, moreover, undertakes to establish a public database of information on airlines that are banned from entering the territory of a Member State or that present an insufficient level of security.