Make sure we monitor air passengers' rights

The representative of Air Passenger Watchdog in EU (Friendly Flying), an associate member of European Passenger Federation (EPF), has had an article published in the journal Regional International. The effectiveness of EU Regulation 261/2004 has been studied. The conclusion reads the regulation is not doing its job properly; and that passengers are still inconvenienced by cancellations, long delays and denial of boarding through overbooking. National Enforcement Bodies, which are responsible for implementing the regulation, often do not receive relevant data from the airlines.

From Friendly Flying's own traveler feedback, most claims arise from one of four problems:
1) The right to use the first option to re-route under comparable conditions.
2) The airlines' duty of care while passengers wait for re-routing and rights to compensation, especially if airlines use their own interpretation of the "extraordinary circumstances" clause.
3) Differing rights in the case of a delay or cancellation.
4) The lack of time limits for lodging complaints.

Some but not all of these issues are being dealt with in the current revision of EC 261/2004. Friendly Flying is constantly monitoring the situation of air passengers in EU. Every passenger can report her/his case here and get support from experts of Air Passenger Watchdog in EU.

Monitoring the enforcement of air passenger rights

The Association for Air Passengers Rights Przyjazne Latanie (Friendly Flying) - the first non-governmental, consumer organisation protecting air travellers in Poland - has been monitoring the enforcement of air passenger rights. During a yearly project there are a couple of actions planned e.g. in depth evaluation (via data analysis and qualitative survey researches) of governmental authorities and institutions responsible for enforcement of air passenger rights in Poland, facilitation of communication between passengers and airlines to develop alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The project is mainly aimed to help and protect the passengers who travel less frequently, mostly for private purposes and with their families. Those groups of passengers represent relatively low awareness of their rights. The activities are implemented as a part of project for non-governmental organizations called "Citizens for Democracy", financed from the Funds European Economic Area.

As a long-term goal of the project is to provide better enforcement of air passenger rights in Poland. For example, the evaluation of complains handling by various public institutions should result in bigger transparency, while access of air passengers to low cost and easy form of assistance via mediation and / or arbitration should increase practical execution of their rights. All groups of passengers (not only frequent travellers, who normally possess extra privileges from the airlines), which means over 24 million people travelling by air in Poland yearly will get easier access and support with enforcing their rights. The project will reduce the disparities and improve understanding among key stakeholders (air passengers, airlines, airports and public authorities). The key findings of the monitoring will be presented in the report, which is to be available in the second half of January 2015 and planned for a special conference in Warsaw. More information will follow.