European Regions Airline Association

ERA Policy & Action

ERA believes that air passengers should have the same (or equivalent) legal rights as other consumers, including passengers across all modes of transport. ERA opposes legislation which a) considers air passengers to be a unique category of consumer, b) has not been evaluated for its impact on air carriers and its impact on passengers, or c) has been prepared without input from specialists including representatives of both airlines and passengers.

ERA Policy & Action

The European Commission (EC) is considering action on protecting consumers against airline bankruptcy protection.  ERA considers the instances of airline bankruptcy to be sufficiently low so as not to warrant strong regulatory intervention.

EU Regulation 261/2004 on common rules for compensation and assistance of air passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation and long delays has been in place since February 2005.  This controversial piece of legislation is currently under review and a new proposal for revision is expected in the third quarter of 2012.

Please select from the options below:

• European Commission Passenger Rights web page
• USA Air Carrier Access Act

ERA Policy & Action

ERA supports the principles of:

• the prohibition of discrimination by airlines against Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRMs) (while allowing for proven safety conditions to be applied)
• the mandatory provision of services essential to enable PRMs to travel
• no extra fees to be charged directly to PRMs (for services essential for travel).