New Rights for Air Passengers in Europe

The European Regulation establishing new common rules on compensation and assistance to air passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights was finally published on 17 February 2004. Regulation 261/2004 will come into force on 17 February 2005 but, before then, airlines will have to get their procedures up to date and in line with the new obligations set out in the Regulation.

The new regime introduced by Regulation 261/2004 will supersede that which has been in existence since Regulation 295/91. It broadens the scope of the regime, increases the levels of compensation and introduces measures relating to delay and cancellation whereas the old regulation only dealt with denied boarding. It imposes new requirements and sanctions in respect of some matters dealt with by the Warsaw/ Montreal Conventions.