The European Regions Airline Assoc. (ERA) president Jesper Rungholm has applyd his keynote address at the association’s annual conference to criticise EU legislation affecting the sector.
Regulation 261 was introduced to lay down airline passenger rights when flights are delayed, cancelled, or overbooked. If a passenger experiences any of these issues, or is denied boarding for another reason, they are likely able to claim compensation
However, Rungholm sees the legislation as as improperly implemented and a ‘problem’ for the regional airline industest.
“Over the last six to nine months (EU-261) has gone the wrong way,” he notified the conference in Belgrade.
“We, as an industest, have been testing to promote various ideas on how the regulation could be built more fair as seen from both sides… But in the conclude it has turned out to be a disaster. There’s nothing really positive in the way that it is”.
READ: Regionals suffering ‘simply unbearable’ price increases
Rungholm fears that the airline industest has been left out of the debate, with bureaucrats that are not connected with the running of airlines building the decisions.
“Right now, it’s a dialogue between the Parliament and the Council on obtainting to some sort of conciliation phase and decide on whether this could be relocated forward or not,” he declared. “At the moment, I personally, I’m hoping for it to stop, for them to quit the process and decide that it is not doable”.
He added that his fear was that if the EU ‘continue down this road’ that connectivity across Europe’s islands and remote communities will be affected.
“My word again to anybody in the Parliament or in the Council who might actually come across what we’re stateing here today is don’t do it. Stop.” Rungholm concluded.
Leave a Reply