Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
1321. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are regulations in place in relation to the fees that airlines can charge for changing a name on an airline ticket; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19548/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1322. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions he has had with his European counterparts in relation to standardising or reducing the fees that airlines can charge for changing a name on an airline ticket; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19549/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1321 and 1322 together.
Statutory Instrument No 426 of 2008 came into force on 1st November, 2008 giving effect to Regulation (EC) No. 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community. Regulation 1008/2008 replaced three pre-existing European Regulations dating from 1992.
Article 22 of Regulation 1008/2008 establishes pricing freedom for Community air carriers to set fares and rates for air services. The setting of fares and charges is therefore an operational matter for the airlines themselves.
Article 23 of the Regulation relates to pricing transparency and requires that all air fares and rates are available publicly for intra-EU services. Furthermore, it requires that the final price to be paid shall at all times be indicated and shall include the applicable air fare or air rate as well as all applicable taxes, charges, surcharges and fees which are unavoidable and foreseeable at the time of publication.
Arising from the European Commission's Aviation Strategy, the Commission has published a roadmap for the evaluation of Regulation 1008/2008 to provide an up-to-date overview of the application of its provisions in EU Member States and to seek to identify evidence based areas of concern in that application. The review is planned to be completed in Q2 2018.
