Response to European Commission Proposed Revisions to Airline Passenger Legislation

April 28th, 2011

BATA Comment on Commission’s Proposed Revisions to Airline Passenger Legislation

Commenting on today’s proposals from the European Commission to “clarify and strengthen enforcement of the Regulation”, Simon Buck, chief executive of BATA, said:

“One of the major shortcomings of the current European legislation is the lack of common enforcement around the EU , leading to an inconsistent approach between Member States. This causes problems of interpretation for both passengers and airlines alike and greater clarity is therefore to be welcomed. However, the problems with the Regulation are more deep-seated than this and there is an urgent need for the Commission to address the complexity of some of the highly prescriptive provisions that can result in confusion and protracted dispute. There is also a problem with the unlimited liability faced by airlines which could be devastating for the industry in the event of another crisis, such as last year’s volcano, resulting in the closure of European airspace.”

ENDS