Campaign launched to end misleading compensation practices by low-cost airlines
- Low-cost airlines make up almost 30% of all severly delayed flights throughout the United Kingdom.
- Difficulty holding low-cost carriers responsible has created a lucrative compensation assistance market, which businesses are taking upwards of 40% commission for simply writing an email.
- The #AIRFAIR campaign wants to inform passengers, expose deceptive airline practices, and fight for change.
Flying has quickly become one of the cheapest and most accessible ways to travel, thanks to the growing trend of low-cost airlines. More often than not, however, their low prices match their low reliability. According to the Civil Aviation Administration, budget carriers Ryanair and EasyJet combined have made up almost 30% of all delayed flights in the United Kingdom so far in 2018, with Norwegian and Thomas Cook topping the list of most delayed long-haul and most delayed medium-haul flights, respectively.
Fortunately in Europe, thanks to E.U. Regulation 261/2004, laws are already in place to protect passengers from being mishandled by the airlines. These laws cover all flights on E.U. airlines, any flights departing an E.U. airport, and they are enforced by the European Commission of Mobility and Transport.
Even with regulation, low-cost carriers continue to use misleading information on their websites in order to deter passengers from taking action against them. For example: Ryanair has no customer support contact, and their website doesn’t offer a way to pursue claims of delays under 3-hours. EasyJet’s website offers all sorts of low-value vouchers and gift certificates in lieu of displaying the actual compensation passengers are owed.
What good is this regulation if it is not enforced easily but the disrupted traveler?
The mission statement of the #airfair campaign is to push all airlines operating in the E.U. to clearly display the correct compensation information on their websites, along with a clearly displayed customer support email and phone number. This will help create a more well-informed, stress-free travel experience for everyone; and eliminate the market for predatory claim compensation companies.
Please take the time to sign the petition, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to help keep the #airfair.
We want to inform European air passengers of their comprehensive rights, and guide them toward their due compensation with ease. #AIRFAIR