Business travellers want to be protected against airline insolvency ...

Guild of European Business Travel Agents

Business travellers want to be protected against airline insolvency

Friday, March 30, 2012

Repatriation and reimbursement in case of airline insolvency is important for 86% of business travellers, according to a survey carried out by GEBTA.?

When an airline ceases operating, passengers with standalone tickets have no recourse against the airline to recover the money of their unused ticket or to obtain repatriation if they are stranded abroad, be they business or leisure travellers. The recent failures of the airlines Spanair and Malev were a painful reminder that all passengers are badly hit in case an airline becomes insolvent.

This is an issue of concern for business travellers. According to a survey carried out by GEBTA, the benefit of reimbursement and repatriation would be very important for 67% of business travellers and rather important for 19%, amounting to 86% of business travellers considering it important.

The concerns of business travellers go to the extent that 62% of the respondents would find worth paying 1 euros per air ticket to ensure repatriation or reimbursement in case an airline becomes bankrupt.

These findings are significant at a time when the European Commission is studying policy options to address passenger protection in case of airline failure. It commissioned a study in 2011 which has determined that a compulsory protection system would be feasible and the most effective option to protect passengers. But the European Commission is not excluding a voluntary scheme instead.

Said the Secretary General of GEBTA, Mr. Michel de Blust: "The lack of passenger protection in case of airline failure must not be underestimated by European Institutions. It is urgent that the European Commission initiates a compulsory system obliging airlines to protect all passengers in case an airline ceases operating."

Theodore Koumelis - Friday, March 30, 2012

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Source : traveldailynews.com

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