The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic

[[SKUDER_TITLE]]
The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic
[[SKUDER_TITLE]]
The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic
[[SKUDER_TITLE]]
The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic
[[SKUDER_TITLE]]
The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic
[[SKUDER_TITLE]]
The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents of the Czech Republic

Novinky

ECTAA calls on the EU regulator to effectively protect EU passengers against airline insolvencies

Following the record number of airline failures in 2017, ECTAA calls on the EU Commission to introduce an efficient mechanism to protect EU passengers against airline insolvencies.

 

In the last three months 3 important European airlines, notably Air Berlin, Monarch Airlines
and NIKI have ceased operations, leaving many passengers stranded abroad and with no real
prospects of claiming refund of unused tickets.

 


The figures speak for themselves:
• Monarch Airlines: More than 110,000 of Monarch passengers were stranded abroad
following the sudden announcement, while a further 750,000 people have paid for flights,
which they were not able to take.
• Air Berlin: At least 180,000 customers who booked flights that have been cancelled won’t
get reimbursed.
• NIKI: In total 410,000 bookings (210,000 bookings from travel agents and 200,000 direct
bookings) were cancelled.
In total, more than a million of bookings were affected by the bankruptcy of these 3
companies.

 


Reports of the European Commission in 2011 and 2013 1 acknowledge that the proportion of
passengers impacted by airline bankruptcies is generally small, but the impact on these
passengers can be quite significant. Yet, the Commission concluded that no legislation is
required. Regulation 261/2004 already provides an appropriate legal framework for passenger
assistance in cases of insolvency. Moreover, it recommended strengthening Member States’
licensing oversight of EU air carriers under Regulation 1008/2008 in order to plan and put in
place measures to protect passengers before an airline is suspended.
The 3 recent airline collapses have shown the opposite. Seat-only passengers of Monarch
Airlines and NIKI have not been able to obtain a ticket refund under Regulation 261/2004. In
the case of Air Berlin there was a progressive wind-down of the operations but with a lot of
flight cancellation, for which passengers were not entitled to seek refund.
In this context, ECTAA calls on the EU decision-makers to introduce specific EU legislation
establishing a mandatory mechanism borne by air carriers to protect passengers against
airline failure, of which the cost would be included in the ticket price. This protection
mechanism should apply to EU carriers and to the farthest extent possible to non-EU carriers,
for all tickets sold within the EU.

 

Said President Merike Hallik: “The recent collapse of several carriers, including Europe’s 10 th
biggest airline, is a sharp reminder that airlines are fragile. With further consolidation expected
on the European aviation market, it is high time that airlines offer guarantees against their own
financial failure, as is the case for travel agents and tour operators.”

 

Source: press release ECTAA 8.1.2018

07.03.2018

ECTAA: ECTAA and HATTA unite to address climate change and promote sustainable tourism

Throughout the summer, Greece witnessed repeated wildfires and torrential rains, underscoring the undeniable urgency of addressing climate change.

29.09.2023

ECTAA: Air Belgium lets passengers and companies down: Failure to refund impacts customers and Travel Industry

Brussels, 21 September 2023 – The Belgian airline "Air Belgium" announced on Monday its decision to cease all passenger flights starting from 3 October 2023. While grappling with the fallout of this suddennannouncement, passengers and travel companies are left in dismay as Air Belgium fails to process any refunds for the affected bookings in the IATA Billing and Settlement System.

25.09.2023

ECTAA, SUSTOUR: Register Now for the Event "Empowering European Tour Operators for Sustainable Futures"

Brussels, 11 September 2023. As the end of the EU-funded SUSTOUR project draws near, we remind interested stakeholders to register for the final hybrid event, "Empowering European Tour Operators for Sustainable Futures”.

12.09.2023

ECTAA, SUSTOUR: Empowering European Tour Operators for Sustainable Futures

Final hybrid event of the SUSTOUR Project, Cascais, Portugal - 13-14 September 2023

28.08.2023

European travel agents and tour operators meet to ensure that travelers can return to Rhodes and Corfu

Almost 100 representatives of travel agencies and tour operators from all of Europe participated in a workshop to take stock of the situation in Rhodes and Corfu. Holiday demand in these islands is still strong and the current situation requires a good knowledge of the suppliers and connection with local organizations and authorities.

02.08.2023

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