Commission action on mass flight cancellations by Ryanair

Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)

P-005862
Subject: Commission action on mass flight cancellations by Ryanair

The Ryanair airline has recently announced that it will be cancelling a staggering 40 to 50 flights a day until the end of October. It is calculated that this will have an impact on roughly 400 000 passengers.
Given the dominant position that Ryanair has achieved in the past years on a huge number of air routes in Europe, and the way in which the abovementioned mass cancellation policy will affect various Member States, what kind of action is the Commission preparing to take against Ryanair?

Answer given by Ms Bulc on behalf of the Commission (26.10.2017)

In accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 [1], Member States have designated National Enforcement Bodies (NEBs) which are responsible for the enforcement of this Regulation as regards flights from airports situated on their territory and flights from a third country to such airports. Sanctions for infringements of this Regulation are laid down by Member States. The Commission also proposed a revision of Regulation (EC) 261/2004 on 13 March 2013 (COM(2013)130 final) [2] which is under consideration by the European Parliament and the Council.

The role of the Commission is to oversee and monitor the implementation and application of the Regulation by each Member State. The Commission does not have the authority to verify whether the rights of the consumers concerned have been violated and cannot intervene in individual disputes between passengers and airlines. However, the Commission asked Ryanair for full respect of passengers’ and consumer rights. Potential actions were discussed at the meeting of the National Enforcers’ Committee under Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on 19 October 2017.

[1] Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights. OJ L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 1
[2] Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of fights and Regulation (EC) No 2027/97 on air carrier liability in respect of the carriage of passengers and their baggage by air (COM(2013) 130 final of 13.3.2013).

P-005862/2017

Artikolu 130 tar-Regoli ta’ Proċedura
Alfred Sant (S&D)
Suġġett: Azzjoni mill-Kummissjoni dwar it-tħassir massiv ta’ titjiriet minn Ryanair
Dan l-aħħar, il-linja tal-ajru Ryanair ħabbret li se tħassar numru impressjonanti ta’ titjiriet – bejn 40 u 50 titjira kuljum – sal-aħħar ta’ Ottubru. Hu kkalkolat li din il-miżura se tolqot bejn wieħed u ieħor lil 400 000 passiġġier.
B’kunsiderazzjoni tal-pożizzjoni dominanti li Ryanair kisbet f’dawn l-aħħar snin fuq numru enormi ta’ rotot tal-ajru fl-Ewropa, u fid-dawl tal-mod kif il-politika ta’ tħassir massiv imsemmija hawn fuq se tolqot lil diversi Stati Membri, il-Kummissjoni x’tip ta’ azzjoni qed tħejji kontra Ryanair?

MT
P-005862/2017
Tweġiba mogħtija mis-Sinjura Bulc
f’isem il-Kummissjoni
(26.10.2017)

Skont l-Artikolu 16 tar-Regolament (KE) Nru 261/2004 [1], l-Istati Membri ħatru l-Korpi Nazzjonali għall-Infurzar (NEBs) li huma responsabbli għall-infurzar ta’ dan ir-Regolament fir-rigward ta’ titjiriet minn ajruporti li jinsabu fit-territorju tagħhom u ta’ titjiriet minn pajjiż terz lejn tali ajruporti. Sanzjonijiet għal ksur ta’ dan ir-Regolament huma stabbiliti mill-Istati Membri. Il-Kummissjoni pproponiet reviżjoni tar-Regolament (KE) Nru 261/2004 fit-13 ta’ Marzu 2013 (COM(2013)130 final) [2] li qed tiġi kkunsidrata mill-Parlament Ewropew u l-Kunsill.

Ir-rwol tal-Kummissjoni huwa li tissorvelja u timmonitorja l-implimentazzjoni u l-applikazzjoni tar-Regolament minn kull Stat Membru. Il-Kummissjoni ma għandhiex l-awtorità biex tivverifika jekk id-drittijiet tal-konsumaturi kkonċernati ġewx vjolati u ma tistax tintervjeni f’tilwim individwali bejn il-passiġġieri u l-linji tal-ajru. Madankollu, il-Kummissjoni staqsiet lil Ryanair għal rispett sħiħ tad-drittijiet tal-passiġġieri u tal-konsumaturi. L-azzjonijiet potenzjali ġew diskussi fil-laqgħa tal-Kumitat Nazzjonali għall-Infurzar skont ir-Regolament (KE) Nru 2006/2004 fid-19 ta’ Ottubru 2017.

[1] Ir-Regolament (KE) Nru 261/2004 tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill tal-11 ta’ Frar 2004 tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill tal-11 ta’ Frar 2004 li jistabbilixxi regoli komuni dwar il-kumpens u l-assistenza għal passiġġieri fil-każ li ma jitħallewx jitilgħu u ta’ kanċellazzjoni jew dewmien twil ta’ titjiriet. ĠU L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 1.
[2] Proposta għal Regolament tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill li jemenda r-Regolament (KE) Nru 261/2004 li jistabbilixxi regoli komuni dwar il-kumpens u l-assistenza għal passiġġieri fil-każ li ma jitħallewx jitilgħu u ta’ kanċellazzjoni jew dewmien twil ta’ titjiriet, u li jħassar ir-Regolament (KE) Nru 2027/97 dwar ir-responsabbiltà tat-trasportaturi bl-ajru fir-rigward tat-trasport ta’ passiġġieri u l-bagalji tagħhom bl-ajru (COM(2013) 130 final tat-13.3.2013).