| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | Vol.11, No.34, 29.9.05 |
| Publication Date | 29/09/2005 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 29/09/05 MEPs will vote on new rules governing the rights of disabled air passengers on 10 October, but Europe's capitals have already decided to reject some of their demands. The Commission's proposal would prevent any airline from refusing disabled people from travelling or charging them extra for any assistance they need. It will make airports responsible for providing assistance to disabled people and push the extra cost - at a maximum of 40 euro cents - onto passengers. The Parliament's transport committee will vote in October and a vote in the plenary session is planned for November, but according to amendments seen by European Voice, national governments have already decided not to take on several aspects of the proposal. These include provisions from Robert Evans, the British Socialist MEP who is drafting the Parliament's response, to make airlines liable for any damage to equipment such as wheelchairs and oblige both airports and airlines to ensure accessibility. Governments are also planning to increase the amount of notice that disabled passengers have to give an airline of their need for extra assistance from 24 hours to 48. EU transport ministers will hold a general debate on the document next Thursday (6 October). Sylviane Lust, director-general of the International Air Carrier Association, said that the proposal was "acceptable" to the airline industry, but Maria Nyman from the European Disability Forum expressed disappointment. She called the liability issue "unacceptable", as some airlines were currently not accountable for equipment damage, and said that the notification time was "clearly exaggerated". But both sides appear to agree on a compromise over who should provide assistance to disabled passengers. While the Commission's proposal stipulates that the responsibility must lie entirely with airports, some airlines were pushing for an opt-out from the rules, arguing that they already provide a high level of service. As a result both the Parliament and Council have put forward amendments allowing airports to subcontract services to airlines provided that the funding for the scheme remains in the hands of the airports. Nyman said that the solution would ensure that the quality of service was maintained: "Keeping the responsibility within the managing body of the airport is positive," she said, "although we would have preferred a transparent tendering procedure at each airport, where not only price, but first and foremost quality was among the selection criteria." Article anticipates a vote at the European Parliament's Transport Committee on a European Commission proposal governing the rights of disabled air passengers, 10 October 2005. Rapporteur for the European Parliament was British Socialist MEP Robert Evans. The Commission's proposal would prevent any airline from refusing disabled people from travelling or charging them extra for any assistance they need. It would make airports responsible for providing assistance to disabled people and push the extra cost - at a maximum of 40 euro cents - onto passengers. Author says that a large number of Member States were opposed to the proposal in its present form. EU Transport Ministers were to hold a general debate on the document already on 6 October 2005 and a vote at the European Parliament's plenary session was scheduled for November. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Business and Industry, Employment and Social Affairs, Mobility and Transport |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
