UK airlines welcome CAA guidance on application of EU law on compensation rights for Coronavirus-related disruption

March 11th, 2020

Commenting on the publication of new Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidance on the interpretation of EU law that applies to compensation rights for passengers during disruption caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered airlines, said:

“UK airlines will always comply with all legal requirements on passenger rights and consumer protection and have an excellent record of looking after their customers when things go wrong. The coronavirus is having an unprecedented impact on the airline sector and on operations and balance sheets, and carriers are having – through no fault of their own – to cancel flights either because the Government has advised against travel or regulators in other jurisdictions have issued advice or legal direction that is causing disruption.

“We therefore welcome this guidance from the CAA on the types of scenario that may constitute an extraordinary circumstance and now urge regulators in other countries to follow suit and for the European Commission to review passenger rights legislation across the whole of the European Union – in the same way they are doing on slots – so that passengers that are entitled to compensation continue to receive it but airlines are not unfairly penalised to the tune of millions of pounds for flight disruption that is not of their doing.”

The CAA guidance can be viewed here – https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Airlines/Guidance-on-consumer-law-for-airlines/