14. 07. 10. - 16:00

SPÖ wants improvement of flyers' legal counselling

The European Commission (EC) must become active in providing better legal protection for airline customers, a Social Democratic (SPÖ) MP has claimed.

Johann Maier, who acts as the government party’s consumer rights spokesman, said today (Weds) the EC must change "vague parts" of the international flight regulations and ensure more effective legal support for passengers if flights are delayed or cancelled.

Maier also said he wanted the body to start collecting complaints by travellers across Europe and to evaluate them thoroughly.

The SPÖ MP suggested third countries should also be considered in new regulations if they are destinations for passengers from the European Union (EU).

Maier said the number of complaints by Austrian travellers with the traffic ministry, headed by SPÖ Infrastructure Minister Doris Bures, has meanwhile decreased from from around 1,000 to just 780 notifications last year.

Maier’s appeals come as thousands of Austrians were stranded at airports all over the world for days in March after large parts of European airspace were shutdown as an ash cloud sparked by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull spread across the continent.

The decision by Eurocontrol has been criticised by several airline bosses, and Austrian Airlines (AUA) co-chief Peter Malanik said he could not rule out teaming up with cooperation partners and rivals to launch legal action against the aviation supervisor.

FlyNiki CEO Niki Lauda meanwhile announced recently he had ditched plans to go to court after discussing the chances for success with his legal team.