ZAGREB, February 5, 2020 – The European Union will consider raising from three hours the minimum flight delay for which passengers can receive financial compensation, a move that could cut airlines’ costs, according to a document seen by Reuters.
Croatia, which is chairing the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020, “has proposed amending the rules on compensation for delays and cancellations at talks among EU governments on revising passengers’ rights that are due to start in the coming weeks.”
“Under EU rules, travellers are entitled to up to 600 euros (663.24 dollars) if a flight is delayed by at least three hours or cancelled less than 14 days before departure. They can also receive compensation if they are denied boarding,” Reuters recalls.
But some national authorities and courts have criticised the rules, saying member states struggle to process the large number of claims they receive, and airlines’ compensation payments have grown because the number of delays and cancellations has risen.
In 2018, 17.6 million passengers were affected by a cancellation and 16.5 million by a long delay, Reuters reported.
In an informal document circulated among member states, Croatia has proposed keeping the level of compensation the same as now for passengers, but suggested increasing the minimum flight delay for which airlines must make payments.
Zagreb made the proposals “in order to take account of the high financial burden for airlines and of the fact that delays are less and less imputable to airlines,” the document said.
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