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Airline Complaints
The advent of the EU Directive 261/2004, which provides Consumer Protection for Flight Delay, Denied Boarding and Flight Cancellation has seen an increase in complaints against airlines. However, we have also witnessed the growing phenomenon of Aerotoxic or Sick Aircraft Syndrome, with holidaymakers and aircrew reporting illness following exposure to fume or smoke events. The debate surrounding this latter issue has witnessed a growing International campaign to introduce tough new safeguards into what is considered to be a dangerous situation. European airline passengers now ‘enjoy’ the protections of EU Directive 2111/2005 following the introduction of the ‘blacklist’ of airlines, but should also benefit from the wide ranging powers of the EU Commission to engage and direct Member States on serious issues or beaches of airline or aircraft safety. EU airline passengers deserve nothing less!
Please note: Any aircraft or airline cited here has already appeared within our ‘Call to Arms’ feature. We would ask you to note the commentary and important information on that page, in particular with regard to any reliance on information for your travel plans and representations (for example, we do not represent that any of the aforementioned problems exist either before, during or following any of the dates stated on any of the aircraft or airlines highlighted below). If you have not already done so, it is important that you familiarise yourself with the information within the ‘Call to Arms’ page. For further information on other destinations, follow the links on the left or via our ‘Call to Arms’ page. Please read the Legal Notice at the bottom of this page.
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Since the latter part of 2009, Consumer Organisations and The Travel Industry have been engaged in a lengthy Political Consultation process, to determine the future of Consumer or Travel Industry Rights and Obligations or Safety Issues. HolidayTravelWatch has been fully engaged in this process and has responded to the UK Department for Transport on the future regulation of the aviation industry. Read More
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Since the latter part of 2009, Consumer Organisations and The Travel Industry have been engaged in a lengthy Political Consultation process, to determine the future of Consumer or Travel Industry Rights and Obligations or Safety Issues. HolidayTravelWatch has been fully engaged in this process and has responded to the European Commission’s request for Stakeholders to provide comment upon Air Passenger Rights.
The report centres in on the Commissions questions on EU Directives 889/2002 (Air Carrier Liability), 96/67 (Baggage Handling/Ground Handling), 261/2004 (Denied Boarding, Delayed Flights and Cancelled Flights), 1107/2006 (Reduced Mobility Rights), 1008/2008 (Common Rules for Air Operations) and 2111/2005 (Air Safety Issues). Read More
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Since the latter part of 2009, Consumer Organisations and The Travel Industry have been engaged in a lengthy Political Consultation process, to determine the future of Consumer or Travel Industry Rights and Obligations or Safety Issues. HolidayTravelWatch has been fully engaged in this process and has responded to the European Aviation Safety Agency’s request for Stakeholders to provide comment upon ‘Cabin Air Quality onboard Large Aeroplanes’
Our report highlights that 63% of passengers surveyed declared that they had experienced smoke/fumes onboard aircraft. We found that many suffered with symptoms of light-headiness, disorientation, chest problems and skin conditions. We also discovered that a number of passengers continued to suffer with these symptoms along with irritability, behavioural problems, neurological difficulties, depression and other physical and psychological problems.
HolidayTravelWatch provided further Consumer comment, supplementing that already given to The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority in June 2009.
Frank Brehany, the Senior Consumer Advocate for HolidayTravelWatch states:
“We have monitored and reported on this important issue since 2006. There appears to be an impasse between Government and Campaigners, perhaps fuelled by the fear of expensive litigation. We have called for the immediate installation of filters on all bleed aircraft, an obligatory reporting system for crew and passengers alike and the creation of a ‘no fault protocol’, uniting passengers, crew, airlines, manufacturers, oil companies, scientists, lawyers and politicians in a quest to resolve this important 21st century problem. I ask; is that too much to ask in order to guarantee safety – will EASA act to protect the interests of all aviation stakeholders?” Read More
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
In the final Public Consultation this season, The UK Department for Transport has requested that stakeholders offer their views on their proposals to update the regulatory environment for the aviation industry. HolidayTravelWatch has responded to their detailed questionnaire, dealing with the effect of their proposals on the proposed ‘Consumer Objectives’ – Safety – Consumers – Environment. Many of the complaints we receive centre around failures under EU Directive 261/2004 (Denied Boarding, Flight Delays and Flight Cancellations), EU Directive 1107/2006 (Rights to Persons of Reduced Mobility), EU Directive 211/2005 (Issues concerning aircraft safety – eg EU Blacklist of Airlines etc) and lost and/or damaged luggage disputes. We have responded to this Consultation in a manner which is informative, constructive but nonetheless critical. We have called upon all stakeholders, to meet the challenges of dialogue and progress with Politicians and Consumers, to create a new deal and a truly sustainable future for the UK and EU airline industry! Read More
Friday, February 26th, 2010
The EU Commission, through DG Mobility & Transport have ordered a Consultation into Air Passenger Rights. Such rights involve areas such as EU Directives 889/2002 (Air Carriers Liability – particularly on the issue of mishandled luggage), 96/67 (Baggage-handling/Ground-handling), 261/2004 (Denied Boarding, Flight Delays & Flight Cancellation), 1107/2006 (Reduced Mobility Passenger Rights), 1008/2008 (Common Rules for Air Operations) and 2111/2005 (Air Safety Issues). We have reported on the issues of flight rights, aircraft safety issues, lost or damaged luggage and financial protection for holidaymakers and air passengers. Read More
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
In 2009, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) called on pilots, crew, airlines, aircraft manufacturers and other interested parties, to submit their views on the problem of smoke or fumes escaping into aircraft cabins/cockpits. We have written extensively on the issue that has become known as Aertoxic Syndrome and the profound effects upon pilots, crew and passengers following exposure to engine fumes/smoke. We launched our own online petition – The Brown Bag Campaign – which seeks to highlight the ‘intelligent’ debate on this important subject. We have submitted our own report, whjich follows on from our own report to The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The report to EASA contains the latest HolidayTravelWatch survey which contains important pointers and compels politicians that the time for action is now! Read More
Sunday, July 19th, 2009
Enforcement comes from the verb ‘enforce’ which means ‘to make people obey a law, or to make a particular situation happen or be accepted’. Tell that to a group of airline passengers, some of whom spent a very uncomfortable Saturday night on the floor of an airport in Slovakia! Those passengers paid good money to travel with a well known low cost airline, to travel back to the UK, only to have their flight cancelled, apparently due to adverse weather conditions! Strange, the passengers didn’t seem to think it was that bad! This is obviously a case of ‘Extraordinary Circumstances’. So, once the ‘airline’ cancelled the flight, they them told the passengers that they would be returned to the UK on Tuesday – yes that’s right, Tuesday – presumably next week! Read More
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HTW has noted that amongst the submissions to the Committee on Toxicity (COT) it has been suggested that the symptoms highlighted by crew and passengers were akin to the condition of hyperventilation.
HTW has for many years received reports from concerned holiday makers or independent travellers as to the safety of their aircraft, ship or boat, train or road transport.
