All airlines will have to pay compensation to passengers in case of flight delays or cancellations under new European Union rules which came into force yesterday.

The regulations cover passengers travelling on all domestic and international flights taking off from any airport within the European Union. This of course means they apply also to Air Malta and to all Maltese passengers flying in Europe.

Each EU member state has an enforcement body dealing with complaints that may arise from the rules. Maltese travellers can complain to the Department of Civil Aviation.

As well as compensating passengers deprived of flights due to overbooking or cancellations, the airlines will also have to give assistance in the event of long delays, in the form of refreshments or hotel accommodation.

During a press conference in Brussels, Jaçques Barrot, European Commissioner for Transport said: "The boom in air travel needs to be accompanied by proper protection of passengers' rights." The initiative, he added, was a concrete example of how the EU benefits people's daily lives.

The compensation to be given by airlines varies between €250 (Lm107) and €600 (Lm 261) depending on the length of the flight and is valid for all scheduled and charter flights, including budget airlines. Compensation will have to be paid within seven days.

In the case of flight cancellations or delays due to overbooking, passengers will also have the choice of a refund, a flight back to their original point of departure or an alternative flight to continue their journey.

In the case of delays, the airline involved may be obliged to supply meals and refreshments, along with accommodation if an overnight stay is required.

However, whether one qualifies depends on the length of the flight and the delay. For example, for flights of 1,500km or less, where there is a delay of more than two hours, a passenger should be given meals and refreshments, along with two free telephone calls, e-mails, telexes or faxes. If the delay is for five hours or more, passengers are also entitled to a refund on their ticket with a free flight back to the initial point of departure if this is relevant.

Airlines must also ensure there is a clear notice about the new rights at check-in desks and if passengers are denied boarding or a flight is cancelled they must be given a written notice explaining the rules.

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