91998E2817

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2817/98

by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission

(17 September 1998)

Subject: Overbooking and passengers' rights

In view of the repeated cases of overbooking or overselling which have occurred once more during the summer and the harm caused to passengers by overbooking, can the Commission say:

1. whether it intends to adopt new measures to regulate this situation, and

2. whether information on passengers' rights and the compensation due to them in such situations should not be put on public display in the Union's airports?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 1998)

The Commission shares the concerns of the Honourable Member and has therefore already taken the necessary steps to introduce new measures by means of a proposal(1) to amend Council Regulation (EEC) 295/91 establishing common rules for a denied-boarding compensation system in scheduled air transport(2). In this proposal the Commission suggests that information relating to passengers' consumer rights should be improved with clearly displayed notices at the airports.

Parliament has already finalised its first reading and the amendments are now being discussed by the Council. A common position could therefore be reached in the near future.

(1) OJ C 120, 18.4.1998.

(2) OJ L 36, 8.2.1991.