The EU Commission is taking a closer look at the behavior of airlines when it comes to passenger rights, because reimbursements are still illegally delayed by many providers and put on the back burner. It also plays a role that some providers sell tickets and presumably have no intention of operating the flights.

The dubious excuses airlines use are also shown by a letter on hand that an Austrian Airlines passenger whose flight to Germany was canceled without information. The carrier then tried to avoid the compensation payment with the "corona excuse". Ultimately, a lawyer was able to persuade the AUA to pay by threatening to take legal action.

Brussels closed both eyes last year

The EU Commission suspects that the customer-hostile behavior of the airlines has a downright system. Last spring, many providers speculated that Brussels would wave a “voucher solution” through, but it never came. Not only did they wait, but many providers, including Lufthansa, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Air France-KLM and many others, have deliberately deactivated the automatic reimbursement functions. So you artificially produced a backwater and, for example, Lufthansa then boasted at regular intervals that they had made oh so many reimbursements.

The airlines have deliberately ignored the law and initially the EU Commission turned a blind eye to the extraordinary overall situation. Since many providers have not stopped the practice, but offer tickets at low prices, but then postpone the route recording again and again, the competition watchdogs take a closer look at the business conduct.

The problem with the matter is that with cancellations initiated by the airline, the motto is "eat or die". For example, Wizz Air strictly refuses to rebook to other airlines, although the legal situation is not only clear, but there is also a correspondingly applicable Supreme Court ruling. Other airlines are then inaccessible for their passengers or put forward dubious excuses why the replacement transport should be impossible. If the passenger wants his money back, it can be really tedious. Few airlines make it easy for passengers. And even fewer airlines adhere to the seven-day reimbursement period.

Delicate fines are blooming

The consumer protection organization BEUC submitted an official competition complaint to the Commission. Incidentally, this is not the first measure taken by consumer advocates, but the summer petition was not dealt with any further. The Commission's patience now seems to have been torn as a formal investigation procedure has been opened. The airlines named in the complaint but not made public by the EU Commission now have to comment on the allegations within three weeks.

According to a press release, the competition authorities want to decide whether further investigations are necessary. The outcome of the proceedings is still completely open, but in the worst case scenario, the airlines could face severe sanctions in the form of fines. These can be exorbitantly high. Since the amount is based on sales, the airlines could possibly get away with it cheaper than usual due to the "disease year 2020". Most airlines earned very little last year.