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Fiona Hall MEPMember of the European Parliament for North East England |
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REGULATIONS TO PROTECT AIR PASSENGERS RIGHTS HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED
September 28, 2006 12:00 AM
Fiona Hall, Euro MP for the North East claims that Europe-wide rules to protect travellers are being overlooked by some airlines.
Regulation s introduced in 2004 state that aircraft passengers should be offered a means of communication should the y face difficulties such as delays to flights.
The Liberal Democrat has received many complaints from distressed passengers on an Excel Airways flight that took nearly two days to reach Newcastle from Skiathos in June.
Ms Hall said:
"Since the incident in June, I have tried on three separate occasions to get the full story out of Excel, but have still not received an adequate explanation. What Excel should have offered all their customers is help and information immediately the delays occurred.
"Regardless of whether the delay is outside the airline's control, passengers should be offered the free use of telephones, faxes, emails or telexes under European rules. But the passengers on Flight XLA 4151 were abandoned on the airside of security with no means of contact whatsoever, not even with staff.
"These regulations are in place to protect passenger rights, and in this case would have made a difficult situation more comfortable for many people.
"If I don't receive a satisfactory reply from Excel I will take this matter up with the Air Transport Users Council."
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