ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Airlines said on Sunday they were prepared to avoid a repeat of last year’s travel chaos, but warned that some flights could still be disrupted by a strike by controllers and a crackdown on companies forcing them to pay compensation. Inevitable delays in planning.
“I have reason to believe that we will be able to get through this peak summer without too many disruptions,” said Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) (Willie Walsh) said in an interview on Sunday.
Yet airline leaders attending this week’s IATA annual conference in Istanbul remain concerned about disruptions in air traffic control in Europe and the US.
“But as far as they’re concerned, they’ve fulfilled their obligation to have their resources ready this summer. I think most airports will be fine; I think they’ve learned their lesson from last year,” Walsh told Reuters society. A passenger cap designed to relieve stress.
The number of disputes between passengers and airlines worldwide is increasing, leading to calls for compensation from passengers.
Canada is reviewing legislation, while the U.S. government is developing new rules, and the European Union is pushing to strengthen enforcement of its existing “Regulation261” that requires more than Compensation for a three hour delay.
“In the end it’s the consumer who is paying, because of course that’s borne by the industry, but the industry can’t just absorb it,” Walsh said.
“The more airlines pay for problems that are out of their control, the more problems will be reflected in ticket prices, which will drive ticket prices up. This is a very very disturbing Frustrating operating environment.
Some passenger groups have accused airlines of avoiding compensation by invoking exemptions in exceptional circumstances. EU rules allow such exemptions as long as airlines can show that they have taken reasonable steps to prevent Any delays.
Airlines report heavy bookings this summer as air traffic returns to pre-COVID levels.
Eurocontrol, Europe’s air traffic control agency, warned late last year that 2023 could be “the most challenging year of the past decade” due to conflict in Ukraine, possible strikes, Increased number of aircraft and reopening of Asian markets.
