Compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights

PURPOSE : to establish common rules on compensation and assistance to air passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights. CONTENT : this proposed regulation would give passengers the right to financial compensation, an alternative flight or reimbursement of the ticket, and assistance at the airport in the event of denied boarding or cancellation of the flight. It would give passengers suffering long delays the right to an alternative flight or reimbursement. It would apply to all carriers departing from Community airports and to Community carriers flying from a non-Community to a Community airport (in some circumstances). It would replace Council Regulation 295/91 of 4 February 1991 establishing common rules for a denied boarding compensation system in scheduled air transport. Concretely, the new proposed Regulation foresees: 1) in the case of denied boarding: - the obligation on operators to call for volunteers to surrender reservations in exchange for agreed benefits (and also to give choice between alternative flight and reimbursement of ticket); - if nevertheless denied boarding, a passenger has three rights: higher financial compensation (between 375 and 1,500 Euros) and a choice between alternative flight and reimbursement of ticket and care while waiting (refreshments, meals, hotels); 2) in the case of cancellation: - obligation on operators to contact passengers and seek volunteers to surrender reservations; - a passenger that does not volunteer has these three rights: financial compensation as denied boarding (between 375 and 1,500 Euros) and choice between alternative flight and reimbursement of ticket and care while waiting (refreshments, meals, hotels); 3) in the case of a long delay: - a passenger has the right to choose between alterative flight and reimbursement of ticket; - special needs passengers and people with reduced mobility will be entitled to minimum care while waiting (refreshments, meals, hotels). �