Preturile din ce in ce mai mici si rapiditatea sunt principalele motive pentru care, anual, tot mai multi oameni aleg calatoriile cu avionul. Nu de putine ori insa, calatoriile sunt marcate si de experiente neplacute, intre care anularea sau intarzierea prelungita a zborului, pierderea bagajelor sau refuzul la imbarcare sunt cele mai des intalnite. Av. Cristina Pena explica ce poti face in fiecare dintre aceste situatii – care iti sunt drepturile, cum beneficiezi de ele – si care a fost rezultatul in situatii similare prin care au trecut alti pasageri in spatiul Uniunii Europene.
Documentele care stabilesc drepturile pasagerilor (inclusiv pentru zborurile din/spre Romania) sunt Conventia pentru unificarea anumitor norme referitoare la transportul aerian international semnata la Montreal in anul 1999 (Conventia) si Regulamentul Parlamentului European si al Consiliului nr. 261/2004 din 11 februarie 2004 de stabilire a unor norme comune in materie de compensare si de asistenta a pasagerilor in eventualitatea refuzului la imbarcare si anularii sau intarzierii prelungite a zborurilor (Regulamentul). Regulamentul se aplica in cazul zborurilor care pleaca de pe un aeroport situat sau nu pe teritoriul Uniunii Europene si au ca destinatie un aeroport din spatiul UE, iar zborurile sunt efectuate de companii aeriene din UE.
1. Refuzul la imbarcare atunci cand pasagerii au bilet/rezervare pentru zborul respectiv si se prezinta la aeroport la ora si in conditiile stabilite
Atunci cand compania refuza imbarcarea unui pasager din alte motive decat starea precara a sanatatii acestuia, cerinte de siguranta si securitate sau documente de calatorie necorespunzatoare, pasagerii au dreptul la despagubiri, la asistenta si la deservire (vezi mai jos).
Spre exemplu, compania aeriana poate fi nevoita sa refuze imbarcarea atunci cand s-au vandut mai multe bilete decat locurile disponibile in avion. In acest caz, refuzul la imbarcare poate avea loc numai dupa ce compania a facut un apel la voluntari dispusi sa renunte la rezervarile lor in schimbul unor compensatii agreate de pasager. Daca numarul voluntarilor este insuficient pentru a permite imbarcarea celorlalti pasageri cu rezervari, compania poate sa refuze imbarcarea pasagerilor impotriva vointei acestora.
Curtea de Justitie a Uniunii Europene a stabilit ca notiunea de „refuz la imbarcare” din Regulament se refera nu doar la refuzul cauzat de situatii de suprarezervare, ci si la refuzul din alte motive, cum ar fi cele legate de operare. Poti consulta datele exacte ale unei astfel de situatii in care CJUE a dat castig de cauza pasagerilor aici (cazul C-22/11).
2. Ce presupune dreptul la despagubiri/compensatii?
Pasagerii pot primi o compensatie in valoare de:
a) 250 EUR pentru toate zborurile de 1 500 kilometri sau mai putin;
b) 400 EUR pentru toate zborurile intracomunitare de peste 1 500 kilometri si pentru toate zborurile cuprinse intre 1 500 si 3 500 kilometri;
c) 600 EUR pentru toate celelalte zboruri.
Pentru stabilirea distantei se ia in considerare ultima destinatie unde pasagerul urmeaza sa soseasca dupa ora prevazuta. Distantele indicate se masoara prin metoda rutei ortodromice (drumul cel mai scurt care leaga doua puncte de pe suprafata Pamantului.)
Compensatia se plateste in numerar, prin transfer bancar electronic, ordin de plata bancar sau cec bancar sau, cu acordul scris al pasagerului, in bonuri de calatorie si/sau alte servicii. Aceste marje se aplica ori de cate ori Regulamentul mentioneaza o despagubire, indiferent de situatie (refuz la imbarcare, intarziere, etc.) Legea nu prevede insa un termen pana la care operatorul trebuie sa plateasca sumele cuvenite.
3. Ce presupune dreptul la asistenta?
Acest drept include fie rambursarea costului biletului, fie transportarea catre destinatia finala cu un alt avion sau mijloc de transport. Astfel, pasagerilor li se ofera posibilitatea de a alege intre:
a) rambursarea, in termen de sapte zile, a intregului cost al biletului, impreuna cu, daca este cazul, un zbor de retur la punctul de plecare initial, cat mai repede posibil;
b) redirectionarea, in conditii de transport comparabile, spre destinatia finala, cat mai repede posibil sau
c) redirectionarea, in conditii de transport comparabile, spre destinatia finala, la o data ulterioara, la alegerea pasagerului, sub rezerva existentei unor locuri disponibile.
4. Ce presupune dreptul la deservire?
Pasagerii beneficiaza in mod gratuit de:
a) mese si bauturi racoritoare, direct proportionale cu timpul de asteptare;
b) cazare hoteliera in cazul in care este necesara o sedere de una sau mai multe nopti sau in cazul in care este necesara o sedere suplimentara fata de cea prevazuta de pasager;
c) transportul dintre aeroport si locul cazarii.
De asemenea, pasagerii au dreptul la doua apeluri telefonice gratuite si la mesaje prin fax sau e-mail.
5. Anularea zborului
Conform Regulamentului pasagerii trebuie sa fie informati cu privire la anularea zborului si la posibilitatile de transport alternative. Operatorul trebuie sa dovedeasca faptul ca si-a indeplinit obligatia de informare. In acest caz pasagerii au dreptul la despagubire, asistenta, si deservire. Operatorul aerian NU este insa obligat sa ofere compensatii in urmatoarele cazuri:
a) a informat pasagerii despre aceasta anulare cu cel putin doua saptamani inainte de ora de plecare prevazuta;
b) a informat pasagerii despre aceasta anulare intr-un termen cuprins intre doua saptamani si 7 zile inainte de ora de plecare prevazuta si le-a oferit un alt zbor, la acelasi cost, care sa le permita sa plece cu cel mult 2 ore inainte de ora de plecare prevazuta si sa ajunga la destinatia finala in mai putin de 4 ore dupa ora de sosire prevazuta;
c) a informat pasagerii despre aceasta anulare cu mai putin de 7 zile inainte de ora de plecare prevazuta si le-a oferit un alt zbor, la acelasi cost, care sa le permita sa plece cel tarziu cu o ora inainte de ora de plecare prevazuta si sa ajunga la destinatia finala in mai putin de 2 ore dupa ora de sosire prevazuta;
d) daca dovedeste ca anularea este cauzata de imprejurari exceptionale care nu au putut fi evitate in pofida adoptarii tuturor masurilor posibile.
Conform CJUE, „anularea” nu vizeaza numai absenta decolarii aeronavei in cauza, ci include si situatia in care aeronava a decolat, insa ulterior a fost nevoita, indiferent din ce motiv, sa revina la aeroportul de plecare, iar pasagerii aeronavei au fost transferati pe alte zboruri.
6. Intarzierea prelungita a zborului
In acest caz, drepturile pasagerilor difera in functie de doua elemente, distanta de zbor si durata intarzierii. Daca, in raport cu ora programata pentru plecare, decolarea avionului intarzie:
a) timp de doua ore, in cazul zborurilor de peste 1 500 de kilometri sau mai putin;
b) timp de trei ore sau mai mult, in cazul tuturor zborurilor intracomunitare de peste 1 500 de kilometri si al oricaror alte zboruri cuprinse intre 1 500 si 3 500 de kilometri;
c) timp de patru ore sau mai mult, in cazul tuturor zborurilor care nu se incadreaza in categoriile de mai sus,
pasagerii au in mod automat drept la deservire constand in mese si bauturi racoritoare, direct proportionale cu timpul de asteptare si dreptul la doua apeluri telefonice gratuite si la mesaje prin fax sau e-mail.
In cazul in care intarzierea este de cel putin cinci ore, pasagerii au dreptul la rambursarea in termen de sapte zile a costului integral al biletului, la pretul de achizitie pentru partea sau partile de calatorie neefectuate si pentru partea sau partile deja efectuate, in cazul in care zborul devine inutil in raport cu planul de calatorie initial al pasagerului, si, daca este cazul, la un zbor de retur la punctul de plecare initial, cat mai repede posibil.
Desi Regulamentul nu prevede in mod expres dreptul pasagerului, al carui zbor are intarziere, de a obtine si o compensatie Curtea a hotarat ca pasagerii zborurilor intarziate au acelasi drept la compensatie ca pasagerii zborurilor anulate daca ajung la destinatia finala cu trei ore sau mai mult dupa ora de sosire prevazuta initial de operatorul de transport aerian. Pentru exemple concrete in care pasagerii au avut castig de cauza vezi cazurile C‑402/07 si C‑432/07.
Atentie insa: o asemenea intarziere nu da nastere unui drept la compensatie in favoarea pasagerilor daca operatorul de transport aerian poate face dovada ca intarzierea prelungita este cauzata de imprejurari exceptionale care nu au putut fi evitate in pofida adoptarii tuturor masurilor posibile, deci care scapa de sub controlul efectiv al operatorului de transport aerian: de exmplu o pana de curent care impiedica desfasurarea operatiunilor premergatoare zborului.
Curtea a stabilit ca o problema tehnica survenita la o aeronava, care determina anularea sau intarzierea unui zbor, nu intra in sfera notiunii „imprejurari exceptionale” decat daca aceasta problema este urmarea unor evenimente care nu sunt inerente exercitarii normale a activitatii companiei si scapa de sub controlul efectiv al acesteia.
De asemenea, in cazul C-452/13 Curtea a stabilit ca notiunea „ora de sosire”, utilizata pentru stabilirea duratei intarzierii suferite de pasagerii unui zbor, inseamna momentul in care se deschide cel putin una dintre usile aeronavei, cu conditia ca, din aceasta clipa, pasagerilor sa li se permita parasirea aparatului.
7. Incidente referitoare la bagaje
Conform Conventiei compania este raspunzatoare pentru daunele survenite din cauza distrugerii, pierderii sau deteriorarii bagajului inregistrat, cu conditia ca evenimentul care a provocat asta sa fi avut loc la bordul aeronavei sau in perioada in care transportatorul avea in grija bagajul inregistrat. In cazul unui bagaj neinregistrat, inclusiv al obiectelor personale, transportatorul poarta raspunderea daca dauna survine din vina sa, directa sau indirecta.
Primirea de catre pasager, fara nicio reclamatie, a bagajelor inregistrate constituie, pana la proba contrara, dovada ca acestea au fost predate in buna stare. Prin urmare, in caz de deteriorare pasagerul trebuie sa adreseze operatorului o reclamatie imediat dupa descoperirea deteriorarii si cel mai tarziu intr-un interval de 7 zile de la data primirii, pentru bagajele inregistrate.
In caz de intarziere, reclamatia trebuie facuta cel mai tarziu intr-un termen de 21 de zile de la data la care bagajele au fost puse la dispozitia sa. Orice reclamatie trebuie formulata in scris si transmisa in acest interval de timp. In situatia in care transportatorul recunoaste pierderea unui bagaj inregistrat sau daca un bagaj inregistrat nu a sosit la destinatie in termen de 21 de zile de la data la care ar fi trebuit sa soseasca, pasagerul este indreptatit sa solicite compensatii.
Conventia stabileste o limita a compensatiei de aproximativ 5 600 RON (conform cursului BNR din 01.04.2015) pentru fiecare pasager, echivalentul a 1000 DST (Drepturi Speciale de Tragere).
8. Cum procedezi in cazurile de mai sus?
In cazul in care un pasager considera ca nu i-au fost respectate drepturile prevazute e recomandabil sa incerce o solutionare amiabila a incidentului cu operatorul de transport aerian. Astfel, pasagerul trebuie sa sesizeze in scris departamentul de relatii cu clientii al companiei, aratand drepturile care i-au fost incalcate si dand detalii despre incident.
Daca operatorul nu transmite niciun raspuns sau raspunsul vizeaza un refuz de a respecta drepturile mentionate mai sus, pasagerul trebuie sa se adreseze Autoritatii Nationale pentru Protectia Consumatorilor (ANPC) daca incidentul a avut loc pe teritoriul Romaniei, sau organismului national competent din tara in care a avut loc incidentul (caz in care completarea formularului de reclamatie se va face in limba engleza). ANPC poate primi reclamatii atat de la pasageri cu cetatenie romana cat si de orice alti pasageri care beneficiaza de prevederile Regulamentului. Daca incidentul nu a avut loc pe teritoriul Romaniei iar pasagerul depune reclamatia la ANPC aceasta o va transmite organismului competent.
Reclamatia se face in nume personal, in format scris sau electronic si trebuie rezolvata in termenul legal de 30 de zile (conform prevederilor O.G. nr. 27/2002). Termenul se calculeaza de la data inregistrarii petitiei la autoritatea competenta.
Pentru a usura sarcina pasagerilor, Comisia Europeana a creat un formular standard ce poate fi accesat aici. Odata completat, formularul trebuie transmis atat organismului national cat si companiei aeriene. Se recomanda completarea acestuia atat in limba romana cat si in limba engleza. De asemenea, e recomandabil ca pasagerul sa ataseze toate documentele relevante, incluzand carta de imbarcare, biletul, orice corespondenta purtata cu operatorul, facturi, bonuri fiscale, contracte sau alte documente.
Potrivit H.G. nr. 1912/2006 omisiunea de a informa pasagerii precum si neacordarea de catre Daca operatorul de transport aerian omite sa informeze pasagerii despre drepturile lor, in cazul unei situatii precum cele enumerate mai sus, comite o contraventie si poate fi sanctionat conform H.G. nr. 1912/2006.
In cazul in care demersurile se mai sus nu conduc la rezolvarea problemei pasagerul poate demara o actiune in justitie impotriva companiei in termen de 2 ani de la data sosirii la destinatie sau de la data la care aeronava ar fi trebuit sa soseasca sau de la data incetarii transportului.[:en]
Cheaper tickets and time savings are the key reasons for which more people chose air travel, by the year. However, flight delays or cancellation, lost luggage and denied boarding are rather often to occur causing traveller to lose time, money and to build up frustration. Cristina Pena provides an overview of passengers’ rights and the best ways to benefit by them, as well as EU court rulings in similar instances.
The Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage signed at Montreal in 1999 (Convention) and the European Parliament and Council Regulation no. 261/2004 of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights (Regulation) are the main documents covering passenger rights (including flights to/from Romania). These regulations apply to flights departing from airports located in or outside of the European Union and landing in airports in the EU; the lights need to be operated by airlines in the EU.
1. Denied boarding for passengers holding valid tickets/ bookings for the flight and going through check-in in due time
If boarding is denied to passengers for reasons other than poor health, compliance with safety and security requirements or inadequate travel documents, passengers are entitled to compensation, assistance and attendance (see below for details on each).
For instance, airlines may have to deny boarding when they have sold tickets in excess of the seats available on a certain flight. In this case, boarding may be denied only after the company called for volunteers willing to give up their reservation in exchange for compensation agreed by the passenger. If the number of volunteers is insufficient to allow passenger boarding, the company may deny boarding to passengers against their will.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) concluded that “denied boarding” refers not only to the refusal due to overbooking but also to the refusal caused by other reasons, such as the ones related to light-related operations.
You may read here about an instance in which EUCJ has ruled in favor of passengers (case C-22/11).
2. Entitlement to damages/compensation
Passengers are entitled to compensation amounting to:
a) 250 EUR for all flights of 1,500 km or less;
b) 400 EUR for all flights within the EU of more than 1,500 km and for all the flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km;
c) 600 EUR for all other flights.
Distance is calculated by taking into account, the last destination where passengers are bound to arrive according to the schedule. Distances are measured by the orthodromic route method (i.e. the shortest path between two points on the surface of the Earth).
Compensation is to be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, payment order or bank checks or in travel vouchers and/or other services if passengers consent to it. These rules apply whenever the Regulation mentions compensation, regardless of the situation (denied boarding, delay, etc.) The law does not state a deadline for the operator to pay the amount due.
3. Entitlement to assistance
Assistance refers either to ticket refund or to transportation to the final destination by another flight or means of transport. Thus, the passengers are presented with a choice between:
a) Reimbursement, of the full price of the ticket, within seven days, together with a return flight to the first point of departure, if necessary, as soon as possible;
b) Redirecting, by comparable means, to the final destination, as soon as possible or,
c) Redirecting, by comparable means, to the final destination at a later date of the passenger’s choice, subject to the availability of the seats.
4. Entitlement to attendance
Passengers are entitled to:
a) Meals and refreshments, in reasonable relation to the waiting time;
b) Hotel accommodation if one or several night stays are necessary or if a stay is required in addition to what the passenger intended;
c) Transportation between the airport and the place of accommodation.
Also, passengers are entitled to two telephone calls, as well as fax or e-mail messages free of charge.
5. Flight cancellation
According to the Regulation, passengers must be informed of flight cancellation and of alternative transportation. Operators must prove that they complied with this requirement. In this case, passengers are entitled to compensation, assistance, and attendance. However, air operators are not required to provide compensation in the following cases:
a) Passengers were informed about the cancellation at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled departure time;
b) Passengers were informed of the cancellation between two weeks and seven days before the scheduled departure time and were offered boarding on another flight, at the same cost, enabling them to leave with no more than two hours before the time of departure and reach their final destination no later than four hours after the scheduled arrival time;
c) Passengers were informed of the cancellation less than seven days before the scheduled departure time and were offered boarding t at the same cost, enabling them to leave no later than one hour before the scheduled departure time and to reach their final destination lesson later than two hours after the scheduled arrival time;
d) If the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided in spite all reasonable measures.
According to the ECJ „cancellation” does not merely refer to the aircraft failing to takeoff, but also to instances when the aircraft took off, but has been forced to return to the departure airport, and the passengers have been transferred to other flights.
6. Extended flight delays
In such cases, passengers’ rights differ depending on two variables: flight distance and flight delay. If the takeoff is delayed:
a) for two hours for flights over 1,500 km or less;
b) for three or more hours, for EU flights of over 1,500 km and for all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km;
c) for four or more hours, for all flights not included in the above categories, passengers are automatically entitled to attendance consisting of meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time and the right to two telephone calls, as well as fax or e-mail messages free of charge.
If the delay is of at least five hours, passengers are entitled to the full reimbursement of the ticket within seven days, at the purchase price for the part or parts of the journey not made and for the part or parts already made, if the flight disrupted the passenger’s original travel plans, and, if necessary, a return flight, as soon as possible.
Although the Regulation does not specifically entitle passengers (whose flight has been delayed), to compensation, ECJ decided that passengers whose flights are delayed have the same right to compensation as the passengers with cancelled flights, if they reach their final destination three hours later or more after the original arrival time scheduled by the operator. Please see cases C-402/07 and C-432/07 for specific examples in which the ECJ ruled in favor of passengers’ rights.
A word of caution: passengers are not entitled to compensation if the operators can prove that the long delay is caused by exceptional circumstances which could not have been avoided despite all reasonable measures, such as blackouts which prevent flight preparation.
The Court ruled that technical problems in an aircraft, leading to flight cancellation or delay, don’t qualify as “exceptional circumstances” unless the problem stems from circumstances which are not inherent to practicing a normal activity in the company and get out of its effective control.
Also, in case C-452/13 the Court ruled that the „time of arrival” is the time when at least one of the doors of the aircraft opens, provided that, from this moment, the passengers are allowed to leave the plane.
7. Luggage-related incidents
According to the Convention, operators are liable for prejudice due to destruction, loss of or damage to checked luggage, provided that the event which caused it occurred on board or while the registered luggage was in the carrier’s charge. In the case of unchecked luggage, including personal items, the carrier is liable if the damage results from its fault, directly or indirectly.
If passengers pick up their registered luggage without filing a complaint, this qualifies as ‘delivered in good condition’. Therefore, in case of damage, passengers must submit a complaint to the operator immediately after noticing the damage, within seven days period from receipt, at the latest, for the registered luggage.
In case of delay, the complaint must be filed at the latest within 21 days from the date on which one has been presented with the luggage. All complaints must be made in writing. I f the carrier admits the loss of the checked baggage or if the checked baggage has not arrived at destination within 21 days of the date on which it ought to have arrived, the passenger is entitled to seek compensation.
The Convention establishes a limit to compensation of about 5,600.00 RON (based on the exchange rate on 1st of April 2015) per passenger, equivalent to 1,000.00 SDR (Special Drawing Rights).
8. How to proceed in the above situations?
If passengers consider that their rights have not been respected it is advisable to seek an amicable settlement of the incident with the air carrier. Thus, passengers must notify the Customer Relation department of the company in writing, showing that their rights have been violated, and giving details about the incident.
If operators don’t reply, this qualifies as a refusal to respect the rights mentioned above, and passengers should contact the National Authority for Consumer Protection, ANPC, (if the incident took place in Romania) or the relevant national body of the country in which the incident occurred (in which case the claim form needs to be completed in English). ANPC may receive complaints from both Romanian passengers, as well as any other passengers who benefit from the Regulation. If the incident took place outside of Romania and the passengers complain to ANPC, the document it will be sent to the relevant body.
The complaint has to be filed personally, in writing or electronically, and must be solved within the legal deadline of 30 days (according to G.O. no. 27/2002). The deadline is calculated from the date of registering the complaint with the relevant authority.
To ease the passengers’ work, the European Commission has created a standard form that may be accessed here. Once completed, the form should be sent to both the national body and the airline company. It is recommended to be filled both in Romanian and in English. It is also recommended that the passenger attaches all relevant documents, including boarding pass, ticket, any relevant mailing, invoices, receipts, contracts or other documents.
According to G.D. no. 1912/2006, failing to inform passengers or to give them compensation in cases similar to those listed above, is an offense and can be punished according to G.D. no. 1912/2006. If the above steps do not lead to problem-solving, passengers can seek legal action against the company within two years from the date of arrival to destination or from the date on which the aircraft ought to have arrived or from the termination date of transport.[:]