Passengers in the European Union may soon be eligible for flight refunds within 14 days, according to a proposed overhaul of passenger protections. The European Commission introduced a new proposal on Wednesday to strengthen passenger rights, particularly in response to widespread disputes over airline refund policies triggered by COVID-19-related cancellations. If the proposal becomes law, passengers would be entitled to refunds for canceled flights within 14 days, even if the ticket was purchased as part of a package through a travel agent. The proposal also mandates that airlines offering vouchers must clarify that customers have the right to insist on refunds.

The varied approaches of airlines to EU refund rules, which caused frustration among passengers whose flights were canceled in March 2020 due to the global grounding of air travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted the proposed changes. The European Commission emphasizes that the new rules draw on lessons learned during the pandemic and from the 2019 collapse of the Thomas Cook Travel Group, which left thousands of holidaymakers stranded. The 14-day refund rule would apply to those buying flights through travel agents or as part of a package, and carriers must reimburse agents within seven days in such cases. AI AI AI AI AI AI AI AI

Additionally, the proposal aims to provide better information on cancellations, delays, and connection times for travelers using different modes of transport in a single journey. While the industry body Airlines for Europe (A4E), including Ryanair and International Airlines Group (owner of Aer Lingus), welcomed the proposal, A4E's managing director, Ourania Georgoutsakou, called for broader reform, especially in revising EU261, the core of Europe's passenger rights laws. Georgoutsakou argued that the lack of clarity in EU261 has led to more decisions by the European Court of Justice than any other regulation.

The proposal must receive agreement from the European Council, comprising EU member prime ministers, and the parliament to become law. Simultaneously, Ryanair has been at odds with online travel agents (OTAs) such as Kiwi.com over their charges for booking Ryanair flights. Ryanair contends that it does not authorize online agents to sell its flights and accuses them of overcharging. In response, Kiwi.com and other OTAs argue that their processing fees are justified as they provide additional services such as booking single trips on multiple airlines, check-in facilities, and guarantees for replacement flights in case of disruptions. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary claims that OTAs unlawfully scrape the airline's website, charge for services provided for free by Ryanair, and significantly overprice ancillary services. O'Leary criticizes the British government and its consumer agencies for ignoring what he terms as internet piracy by OTAs.