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Date Published: 29/03/2022
ARCHIVED - UK proposes lowering compensation for delayed and cancelled flights
The latest post-Brexit blow to travel plans is to substantially reduce compensation for UK passengers
The British government has caused outrage by revealing that it plans to reduce the compensation amount for travellers who are unable to fly. Current EU rules stipulate that passengers must be recompensed if a flight is delayed for more than three hours, or if they are denied boarding, but Brexit means that the UK government can change these rules, which would potentially save airlines thousands of pounds each year.
The new regulations would involve removing the flat compensation fee and instead reimbursing passengers based on the ticket price and journey length, potentially reducing the payment from £225 (267 euros) to just £57 (67 euros).
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said that lowering penalties could result in airlines overbooking flights, adding that: “Ripping up current compensation rules for UK flights would be a huge blow for passenger rights and embolden airlines to act with impunity.
“Unfair practices such as overbooking and denied boardings could once again become more commonplace if this essential deterrent is removed, leaving passengers out of pocket.”
Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said: “The consequence of Britain leaving the European Union should not be a tearing up of consumer protections.
“If these regulations are removed, airlines would be far more able to cancel flights, and potentially leave passengers stranded without adequate compensation to cover the costs.
“I urge the Government to reconsider these proposals, and ensure airlines are mandated to continue providing passengers with the level of compensation they deserve should their flight be disrupted.”
Although disrupted train journeys in the UK are compensated in a similar fashion to the new proposal, the two systems aren’t really comparable, since airline passengers will most likely have forked out for accommodation, airport transfers and possibly car rental, all of which could end up costing a fortune if flights are delayed or cancelled.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
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