SOME UK airlines could face huge compensation bills from passengers, after a European court ruling on flight delays.
A number of airlines, including British Airways and EasyJet, had challenged a 2009 ruling that passengers on flights to and from Europe should be compensated if they are delayed for more than three hours.
Yesterday, the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg confirmed the ruling, after the airlines had challenged the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over the matter.
There will still be circumstances where compensation will not have to be paid, such as industrial action or extreme weather. But in a number of compensation cases that have been on hold since 2009, carriers might now have to pay out.
The CAA welcomed the judgment, saying the situation was now clearer for passengers. Its regulatory policy director, Iain Osborne, said: “Every year about 200 million passengers travel to and from the UK, with the vast majority experiencing no problems.
“However, when something does go wrong, there are regulations in place, and the CAA is ready to ensure companies abide by them.
“Today’s judgment offers much-needed clarity about when compensation must be paid following delays.”
Travel company Tui, which was involved in the legal challenge, said: “We will continue to work with the European institutions to ensure the underlying legislation is revised.”
