At the beginning of June, the European Parliament passed a new law which protects passengers who travel by bus, motor coach or ship and the European Commission launched an information campaign on the rights of passengers travelling by plane or train. This way, passengers have the opportunity to know their rights in national and international traffic, while transport operators have the obligation to apply these provisions.
An advertising campaign launched on June 29 by the European Commission available in 23 languages across Europe will provide passengers with easier access to information on the rights they have while travelling by train or plane. “Starting December 2009, the European rail transport operators have to provide substantial compensations for passengers when trains are delayed. Therefore, after 60 minutes of delay, operators could return 25% of the ticket price and 50% of the ticket price after 120 minutes of delay”, the Third Railway Package stipulates. However, member states will be able to exempt certain services from these dispositions on a period of up to 15 years, while urban and regional transport can obtain an indefinite derogation.
“One click away” from correct information
Although, over the past year the Commission has introduced regulations to provide equal standards to passengers travelling by plane or by train across the European Union, not all passengers know their rights. To remedy this situation, posters presenting the rights of passengers starting June 29 have been displayed in the airports and railway stations of member states in due time for the beginning of the holiday season. Passengers can consult leaflets, as well as the information on the especially created web site available in all official languages of the European Union.
“Now, when millions of Europeans prepare for holiday, we want them to travel easily, knowing their rights and demanding, if necessary, support in asserting these rights. We are hoping to be able to send this information to the millions of citizens who will travel this summer and in the months to come”, declared Vice President Siim Kallas responsible for transport.
The internet website http://ec.europa.eu/passenger-rights has been launched within the information campaign Your Passenger Rights At Hand. By using this website, passengers can find out more about their rights in every means of transport. The passenger rights include the compensations and services that passengers are entitled to in case of incidents during the journey, for example when the journey is cancelled or delayed or when luggage is lost of damaged. Disabled or reduced mobility people benefit of equal rights. The Commission is currently working on the implementation of the passenger rights for other means of transport as well and has launched suggestions on the passengers of inland waterway or sea transport, as well as passengers travelling by bus or motor coach. In line with the legislative agenda of the European Parliament and of the Council, these proposals could be adopted starting this year. As soon as they come into effect, passengers will be informed within the two-year campaign.
Railway transport operators have to know that if the train delays more than one hour or it is cancelled, passengers have the right to compensations or they can receive the equivalent in money of the travel ticket. They can also receive compensations in case of accidents or in case their luggage is lost or damaged (up to EUR 1,300 per luggage). Passengers with reduced mobility are entitled to non-discriminatory treatment and free assistance before, during and after the train or plane journey. We remind that in 2007, the year when the passenger rights have been passed (with application starting 2009), the representatives of the European rail sector harshly criticised the member states and the European Commission which initially proposed these rights only for international passenger transport, but not for domestic transport. “The fact that it has been so difficult to persuade all member states to grant basic rights in rail transport shows how badly some rail authorities treat their customers nowadays”, declared Dirk Sterckx, EP Rapporteur, initiator of several such projects.
by Elena Ilie
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