April 10, 2007
A wing and a prayer
The eurosceptic UK Independence party once portrayed the European Union as an octopus. If true, it has very short tentacles. Last week the Commission’s competition directorate was shown the limits of its powers as companies and governments agreed to dismember Endesa, the Spanish power company. Brussels had taken Madrid to court for blocking Eon’s bid but the German utility decided a half a bid (sic) in the hand was worth one in the bush and agreed to slice it up with Enel, its Italian rival and Spain’s preferred partner. The Commission will continue with a case but any victory would be one of principle alone.
The Commission was reading the riot act to airlines and governments over their failure to enforce new rights for passengers.
Enacted in 2005, this was a big part of President Jose Manuel Barroso’s attempt to let citizens feel the benefits of a “Europe of results”.
People whose flights were delayed or cancelled through technical failures could get alternative travel, compensation and meals and hotels provided.
Yet Jacques Barrot, the transport commissioner, released a report last week showing the directive was not working and threatened to take member states to court if they did not start enforcing it in six months.
“The Commission will give them six months to make the air passengers regulation work and will provide them with full support in that process,” he said. Then out come the writs.
Inspectors will be despatched to airports across Europe to see whether the ads are displayed prominently enough. But in the end it is for national governments and their aviation authorities – which often have strong airline ties – to make the system work.
The industry never liked the measure and the high-handed way Brussels introduced it has alienated them. In February the European ombudsman, a watchdog, ruled that the posters were misleading and overplayed the rights enjoyed.
“This report reflects the major practical difficulties in implementing regulation which is based on flawed foundations and without rigorous consultation with the airline industry”, said Sylviane Lust, Director General of IACA, the low-fare carrier association which brought the original complaint.
Commission officials are hopeful. They point out that overbooking has been virtually eliminated by tough penalties and that delays will go the same way in time.
Meanwhile, the passenger waits.
This passenger was on an evening flight last weekend that was over an hour late; the reason given was a “problem with the meals” - meals that were only to be provided to about half the passengers anyway.
With a sick child in tow I would have been glad of something better than a brief verbal apology by the captain.
Posted by: Chris Sherwood | April 16th, 2007 at 12:13 pm | Report this comment