Proposed changes to EU passenger regs

[Darren Wheeler]

The EU have now announced some changes to the flight delay rules and some other bits.

The changes include:
Exceptional circumstances are defined more clearly. Mechanical faults don't count but strikes and natural disasters do.
Airlines must inform passengers about delays and provide an explanation within 30 mins of departure time.
After 5 hours on the tarmac, passengers can demand to be let off.
More than an hour on tarmac, use of A/C, toilets and water
Airlines cannot charge for correcting name mis-spellings
Rules on carrying small musical interments in the cabin and larger ones in the hold

The changes are subject to member state approval so may take a while to go live.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21767040

Thanks for the update.

Musical interments, and small ones at that. Deceased pet hamster perhaps?

Deceased pet hamster perhaps?

Ha ha ha, yay. Will go dig up scratches.. :$

Looks like a lot of good changes from the pax perspective. Not too sure about how the airlines will like these regs... gives them a bit of a break when it comes to natural disasters I suppose.

On the musical instruments side of things.... I think they should all be packed in the hold - even the triangle which can fit nicely in your suitcase.

Here is a fun little story as to why even the triangle is not safe from me.. I have had experience at attempting to check in behind a youth orchestra... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - Arrived to see the entire orchestra and their guardians trying to check in!! This involved a lot of repacking after staff were informing them that some of the instruments were too big for the cabin. Queue annoying parents getting involved asking for exceptions to be made ii) By this point there were a fair few of us trying to find a manager to sort things out.. alas none to be found n( Also tried out the business class checkin but they optimistically suggested I wait in line at coach :#

The checkin staff did open up more desks and tried to get non orchestra pax processed but the accompanying guardians went on a tirade that they were there first!! Completely unnecessary and the checkin staff caved to avoid an argument.. line did start to move but, with the repacking then happening at the desks, I had had enough and joined the exodus to the business class check-in again.. orchestra annoyances (aka parents and guardians) tried to follow but were sent back when told they were not flying business (neither was I), but no argument this time. I think they took pity on us..

So no more instruments on board, no arguing or repacking at the desk!! Instrument in checked case or at home!!

This happened when I was in Australia a few years back. Anyone had any probs elsewhere or was I simply unfortunate?

The name changes thing is just common sense

I was hoping mechanical failure was already not considered extraordinary circumstances after my long delay on Sunday. Was there not a court ruling about that already?

In my view of the world when bureaucrats start to legislate about things they don't understand you get over complication - simple penalties for events under an airline's control are right, but others clauses don't make sense to me. For example these new proposals treat a diversion as a cancellation and therefore liable to penalties. Now, if anyone has been diverted you'll know that the reason for that is often a medical emergency and sometimes a mechanical or safety issue - should this lead to compensation for passengers? Would you want a pilot to balance safety against cost?

A mixed bag perhaps.

[Darren Wheeler]

There's a better list on Flyertalk

http://www.flyertalk.com/the-gate/blog/ ... ngers.html

One bit included would effectively mean the end of one-way fares and the cost imbalance. Airlines would no long be able to deny boarding of a return leg it the outbound is not taken.

Airlines would no long be able to deny boarding of a return leg it the outbound is not taken.

Ha ha ha, say goodbye to a good chunk of UK airport duty then... who fancies booking all flights starting in Amsterdam?

One bit included would effectively mean the end of one-way fares and the cost imbalance. Airlines would no long be able to deny boarding of a return leg it the outbound is not taken.

Yes, I saw this too. Many might think this would be a good thing, but whole one-way fare / Saturday night rule-system is designed to make business travellers pay more and leisure traveller pay less. If this model is tweaked to make things cheaper for those who need flexibility, then I fear that leisure travellers will end up paying the penalty.

One bit included would effectively mean the end of one-way fares and the cost imbalance. Airlines would no long be able to deny boarding of a return leg it the outbound is not taken.

My understanding of the German laws is that the airline should honour your return portion even if you missed the outbound but in return has the right to re-price it based as a last minute one way ticket and use the fare already paid as part payment.

Has anyone had any success claiming compensation for delayed/cancelled flights due to mechanical problems?
The reason being I as many others probably did, saw the Martin Lewis program this weekend regarding claiming compensation.

I had a flight cancelled and rescheduled 12 hours later back in 2009 and didn't receive any kind of compensation from Virgin at the time.