Alfred Sant asks EC to clarify passenger compensation rights for delayed flights

Maltese MEP Alfred Sant has asked the European Commission to clarify the minimum duration of a flight delay that entitles a passenger for compensation under EU law. The Maltese MEP said there is clearly a discrepancy between ‘the three hours’ stated on the Commission’s web portal, and ‘the two hours’ stated in the Regulation on Air Passenger Rights.
Dr Sant said the Commission’s ‘Your Europe’ web portal aimed at advising citizens on their EU rights states that if an air passenger reaches his/her final destination with a delay of three hours or more, he/she is entitled to compensation if the delay is not caused by extraordinary circumstances.
Dr Sant noted that the EU Regulation on Air Passenger Rights states that the definition of a delay includes, “a flight to be delayed for two hours or more in the case of flights of 1 500 kilometres or less”. Further, Article 7 1 (a) goes on to define that “passengers shall receive compensation amounting to €250 for all flights of 1 500 kilometres or less”.
Dr Sant asked the Commission to apply the said clarification to its communication portals dedicated to EU air passengers.

Maltese Version – ALFRED SANT JITLOB KJARIFIKA DWAR KUMPENS GĦAL PASSIĠĠIERI LI JITTARDJALHOM L-AJRUPLAN

Alfred Sant talab lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex tiċċara t-tul ta’ żmien minimu ta’ ittardjar ta’ titjiriet bl-ajruplan li jintitola lill-passiġġieri għal kumpens taħt il-liġi tal-Unjoni Ewropea.
Il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew qal li hemm diskrepanza ċara bejn ‘tliet sigħat ta’ ittardjar’ skont il-web portal uffiċċjali tal-KE u ‘sagħtejn ta’ ittardjar’ skont ir-Regoli tad-drittijiet ta’ passiġġieri li jivvjaġġaw bl-ajru fl-UE.
Dr Sant qal li l-web portal ‘Your Europe’ tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea, maħsub biex jagħti parir liċ-ċittadini tal-UE dwar ivvjaġġar bl-ajru, jgħid li jekk passiġġieri ma jaslux fid-destinazzjoni finali tagħhom b’ittardjar ta’ tliet sigħat jew aktar, huma intitolati għal kumpens jekk l-ittardjar ma jkunx ikkawżat minn ċirkostanzi straordinarji.
Dr Sant imbagħad innota li r-Regoli tal-UE dwar id-drittijiet tal-passiġġieri li jivvjaġġaw bl-ajru jgħidu li ‘f’każ li titjira tittardja b’sagħtejn jew aktar f’każ ta’ titjiriet ta’ 1500 kilometru jew anqas il-passiġġieri jieħdu kumpens ta’ €250.
Kien għal dir-raġuni li l-MEP Malti talab lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea tkun ċara dwar kemm sigħat ittardjar ta’ ivvjaġġar bl-ajru huma intitolati ċ-ċittadini li jużaw it-trasport bl-ajru fl-UE. Dr Sant talab lill-Kummissjoni biex tinkludi dawn il-kjarifiki fil-‘portals’ ta’ kommunikazzjoni dwar passiġġieri li jivvjaġġaw bl-ajru fl-UE.