APRA Welcomes new Passenger Mobility Package, but More Work is Needed

Brussels 30 November 2023. The Association of Passenger Rights Advocates (APRA) welcomes yesterday’s Passenger Mobility Package, which includes new European Commission proposals for air passenger rights, amongst other modes of transport, as it seeks to clarify and simplify certain elements of passenger protection. Whilst the intentions of the package are good, the proposals fail to address certain important problems faced by passengers today.

A proposed cap on the level of pre-payments travel agencies can demand from their passengers ahead of their package travels is a step in the right direction. APRA also welcomes the clarification of the rules on refunds when online booking agents are involved. Passengers are often sent from pilar to post between airlines and intermediaries, when seeking reimbursement. This needs to stop, and the Commission is right to address this.

However, painfully absent from the package are proposals for adequate passenger protection in the case of airlines’ insolvency. The pandemic showed us once again that passengers are the weakest party in times of crisis. In order to regain consumer confidence, it is of vital importance that passengers are not left out of pocket in crisis scenarios, including airline insolvency.

APRA also believes the Package was a missed opportunity to address the issue of luggage. Over the past two years, passengers have become victims of a continuous luggage chaos at airport. The subsequent poor treatment of passengers in this matter, shows the need for additional passenger protection. As checked luggage has become an additional paid service for the airlines, well-defined protection should be established, including rules for compensation of lost, damaged, or delayed luggage, with defined waiting times and minimum compensation levels.

APRA President Tomasz Pawliszyn said: “APRA welcomes any efforts that create more clarity and simplification for air travelers. As such, by and large, we welcome the new Passenger Mobility Package. However, the problems do not stop here, and we would urge decision-makers to take further measures. Airline insolvency remains a black box, and the growing issues regarding luggage are left unaddressed. Consumer confidence is vital to a healthy aviation industry. We need to win back consumer trust and the only way to do that is by offering maximum transparency and adequate protection”