‘No-show’ clause applied by airlines

10.11.2017

Question for written answer E-006946-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Krišjānis Kariņš (PPE)

Regulation 261/2004 ‘establishes common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delays of flights’. It calls for the EU’s airlines to take account of all the requirements of passenger and consumer protection, including a first call by air carriers for volunteers to give up their seats in the event of overbooking in exchange for benefits, giving reimbursements and accommodation to passengers who are denied boarding against their will and for airlines to fully inform passengers of their rights in the event of denied boarding.

While measures have been taken to reduce the occurrence of denied boarding due to overbooking, an EU study has shown that large numbers of passengers are still being denied boarding against their will within the EU. Many airlines use the ‘no-show’ clause in their planning, which uses an algorithm to decide how many extra tickets they should sell in the case of ‘no-shows’. This leads to many flights being overbooked and passengers being denied access to board their flights against their will.

Does the Commission plan to take action to eliminate or restrict the overbooking practiced by airlines, so that paying customers are not being denied boarding as a result of airlines using the ‘no show clause’ and overbooking?