The airline had engaged in commercial practices that breached the duty of care.Continue reading
In order to enforce the rights of passengers, the Government Office of the Capital City Budapest launched consumer protection authority inspections on a total of 15 air routes due to significant delays and cancellations in the recent past. The airlines cooperated during the inspections, with the exception of one, in which case a procedural fine was imposed.
In a statement, the Government Office said that in three cases the airlines had acknowledged their obligation to compensate passengers, and that payments were being made on the basis of passenger complaints.
The Government Office is still awaiting details on two flights. For three of the flights, the airlines concerned cited an air traffic control problem as the reason for the delays or cancellations, i.e. an extraordinary circumstance. For these, the Government Office has requested the professional opinion of the aviation authority as to whether the significant delay or cancellation was indeed caused by what could be considered exceptional circumstances.
They pointed out that
in individual cases where the Government Office does not have jurisdiction, it would send the relevant cases to the foreign authorities.
The Government Office stressed that together with the Ministry for National Economy, responsible for professional management, they will continue to monitor closely the compliance of airlines with their obligations and help ensure that consumers’ rights are properly enforced.
The Government Office of the Capital City Budapest has recently launched an official inspection of the airlines Ryanair, WizzAir, SunExpress and Eurowings in connection with the significant flight delays experienced. The inspection is aimed at checking whether the airlines have complied with the requirements of the relevant EU regulation on information and assistance to passengers.
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Budapest Airport