Press Release: European Consumer Centres act together to help volcanic ash crisis passengers claim their rights

The network of European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net), supported by the European Commission and operating in all Member States (plus Iceland and Norway), has come out with a practical complaint package which is designed to help consumers affected by recent flight disruptions to exercise their consumer rights guaranteed under EU laws. The package includes a standard complaint letter, contact details of all airlines and other practical advice.

ECC-Net handles about 60,000 cases annually for consumers who turn to them for advice or for help with problems they experienced while shopping or travelling across borders within the EU. In 2009, more than one in five (22.5%) complaints tackled by ECCs concerned air transport. During the first week of the volcanic ash crisis, the number of cases handled by the network has risen 7 times. From the start, the ECC-Net has been put on full alert, working closely together to ensure co-ordinated assistance to EU consumers.

European Commission: Memo: MEMO/10/162: Background note on the Extraordinary Transport Council, 4 May http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/162&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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