Air passenger rights in the EU were not protected during the pandemic, a report shows. Many passengers were forced to accept vouchers when flights were cancelled instead of getting a refund. At the same time, airlines and charter companies received billions in state aid.

The travel restrictions imposed by Member States during the pandemic led to the closure of 7,000 flight routes in the European airport network, and tens of millions of passengers were affected by flight cancellations between March 2020 and March 2021.

Airlines are legally required to refund passengers if flights are cancelled, but instead many travellers have been forced to accept vouchers, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors. At the same time, airlines and tour operators received billions of euros in state aid without any requirement that it be linked to passenger compensation.

In the first months of the pandemic, many passengers received no compensation at all and 15 member states introduced measures to relieve airlines and charter companies of their obligation to pay compensation, the auditors note.

Airline passengers who were forced to accept vouchers were also not protected if the companies went bankrupt, which is against EU law. The situation was worst for those who did not buy their tickets directly from the airlines but via travel websites and travel agents.

In Sweden, the Swedish National Complaints Board received a record number of complaints last year, many of which concerned cancelled trips.

Source: TT