Air passengers 'don't know their rights'

CONSUMER AFFAIRS:ONLY 5 PER CENT of Irish consumers know all their rights when they fly, according to a survey published by the European Consumer Centre (ECC).

The study, launched ahead of yesterday’s Europe-wide Consumer’s Day, found that among the air-travel regulations people remain most sketchy about are time limits on compensation claims for damaged baggage and what an airline’s obligations are in the event of long delays or cancelled flights.

The survey, which was carried out among passengers departing from Dublin Airport last week, found that 49 per cent of passengers did not know they were entitled to information on their rights from an airline if it cancelled their flight.

Only 18 per cent knew that if their flight was delayed by more than five hours they could be reimbursed if they decided not to fly; 65 per cent were unaware that the maximum compensation if luggage is lost or delayed is €1,150. Only 5 per cent of respondents to the questionnaire were able to correctly name three of their legal rights as airline passengers.

The findings tally with research carried out by the European Commission indicating that Irish people are less likely to make a consumer-related complaint than the average European, says ECC manager Ann Neville.

She stresses how important it is for consumers to know their rights, as ignorance may cost them money. Consumers are legally entitled to compensation if luggage is damaged or delayed, she says, but “in the case of damaged luggage a claim has to be made within seven days of delivery. In many cases people are still on holiday when the deadline to make the claim has expired”.