asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if Irish airlines are to be required to pay compensation for holiday and business trips postponed by flight delays.
Written Answers. - Compensation for Postponed Trips.
199.
Airlines are not liable for compensation in respect of flight delays and there are no plans to require them to pay such compensation. The conditions of contract between a passenger and an airline, which are shown on airline tickets and are standard to all airlines, include the following:
Carrier undertakes to use its best efforts to carry the passengers and baggage with reasonable dispatch. Times shown in timetables or elsewhere are not guaranteed and form no part of this contract. Carrier may, without notice, substitute alternate carriers or aircraft, and may alter or omit stopping places shown on the ticket in case of necessity. Schedules are subject to change without notice. Carrier assumes no responsibility for making connections.
As regards delays caused by over-booking of passengers, most airlines operate a scheme to compensate passengers on scheduled flights who cannot be accommodated on a flight for which they have a reservation. Furthermore, the EC Commission is at present formulating proposals for a scheme of compensation in the event of an airline overbooking passengers on scheduled flights. In addition, the EC Council is at present considering a draft Directive on Package Travel which contains measures to give protection to the consumer in the event of non-performance or poor performance of contract by a tour operator, including overbooking.