An open letter to carriers from the CAA and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) outlines concerns from both.
They include:
- Selling more tickets for flights airlines can reasonably expect to supply and failing to warn consumers about the ensuing risk of cancellation.
- Not always fully satisfying obligations to offer passengers re-routing, including with alternative carriers in the event of cancellation.
- Failing to give consumers clear and upfront information about their rights on cancellation and/or to provide adequate and appropriate support and care where flights are cancelled or disrupted.
The CAA and CMA said they were “considering evidence about these issues”. They added compensation to passengers was “so far” being paid on time “though we are concerned to ensure that payment delays and other issues do not begin to emerge over summer as more flights are cancelled”.
They said consumers should not be required to “hunt” for information about their rights under EU 261.
“Airlines must communicate these rights accurately and clearly to consumers to avoid misleading them. For example, information about passenger rights provided in an app or website must be complete, presented clearly and be upfront.”
The letter adds: “When cancelling a flight, airlines must offer re-routing, either using their own flights or if they cannot offer a timely replacement, with another carrier.
“We note that some airlines ask passengers to make their own arrangements if re- routing is on another carrier. However, we have concerns that in some cases, this is likely to breach professional diligence standards for those consumers who are not in a position to do so.”
This could include those who must wait for reimbursement to purchase new tickets.
“We urge airlines operating this practice to quickly put in place mechanisms for these consumers to ensure re-routing is a viable option for them,” the letter said.
Airlines were told to provide “effective means of communication” to support passengers during delays or cancellations. “We expect airlines to provide multiple routes for this communication, e.g. not just via apps," the letter said.
The use of premium rate customer service phone lines was also criticised.
The letter said: “Airlines providing a phone line for this purpose must not charge more than the basic rate for the customer’s call – doing so is a breach of the Consumer Contract (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
“We would also expect airlines to monitor the amount of time that consumers wait on hold for assistance and to ensure that wait times are not unreasonable.”
