BRUSELLS: Airlines must reimburse customers for flights cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union Transport Chief said on Wednesday, rejecting calls by carriers to relax European Union rules and allow a European Union-wide waiver of refund obligations.
European Union Transport Commissioner Adina Valean also said the parameters could be changed for compliance with a United Nations climate scheme, scheduled to begin in 2021, following so many flight cancellations because of restrictions on movement to contain the novel coronavirus.
As airlines seek government support, carriers say refunding hundreds of thousands of tickets will drain them of money.
“In order to change any provision of this law, you would need wide support for an agreement from the other institutions,” she said in a telephone interview, referring to the European Council of governments and the European Parliament.
“We are not going to act on legislation at this stage.”
Consumer organisations say some major airlines are already flouting the refund rules, obliging customers to take vouchers.
By some estimates, a prolonged shutdown would make about $3.9 billion of Germany’s Lufthansa revenue eligible for refunds in the second quarter.
Valean acknowledged the liquidity problems, but said European Union governments have other ways to help, which the Commission, the European Union executive, is monitoring.
“We are aiming at considering an encouragement towards consumers to pick up on vouchers, if this kind of instrument is properly guaranteed through a governmental fund or something,” she said.
The Commission has already relaxed state aid rules to allow government support for airlines. The European Parliament agreed in March to suspend the requirements for airlines to run most of their scheduled services or forfeit landing slots.
