Air France and partner KLM refuse to refund passengers the money they paid for a ticket.
Due to the lockdown, all flights have been canceled and therefore passengers are legally entitled to a refund if they request it within 7 days.
KLM and AIR France want to postpone and say they will only pay all refunds to affected travelers in a year's time.
12 EU countries are now asking the European Commission to suspend air passenger rights.
Customers who ask for refunds en masse provide an outright assessment of the airlines' cash flow. That is why they want to pay customers their refund in vouchers. In other words, credit vouchers.
But the passengers do not accept this.
And the European Commission also initially disagreed, were it not that the EU member states with the Netherlands first, keep their foot stiff: they want postponement of refund payments to keep the airlines alive.
Cyprus does not like the refunds either.
They see aviation as essential for their island. The tourists are their lifeblood. No Cyprus without the aviation industry.
During the lockdown, EU laws and regulations suddenly prove to be very flexible and flexible: to accommodate large companies.
Mark Watts co-wrote the EU legislation on refunds. He finds the attitude of the Netherlands and KLM / Air France in particular incomprehensible and unacceptable.
“This is not about compensation for customers, but about repayment of a purchase amount. Customers are not supposed to have to bleed to keep airlines up and running. ”Watts responds.
