Codacons has a new complaint ready, this time targeting the airlines. These would have been accused by the association of implementing incorrect practicessuch as extending the flight times on the ticket for not having to pay compensation to travelers in case of delay. It’s not a little common practice, on the contrary. According to Codacons it is used by many airlines to avoid refunds on numerous flights.
There were many reports received by the consumer organization that gave rise to the need for action and from here Codacons decided to present a complaint to the competent authorities, namely the Antitrust and Enac. These have been asked to open an investigation so that investigations can be carried out in the interest of air transport users.
Codacons sues airlines
So Codacons begins a new battle and does so to guarantee travellers, in the event of a delay, reimbursement for their flights. In fact, it seems that, after numerous reports from users themselves and several known cases, enough elements have been collected to present a complaint to the competent authorities. These, namely the Antitrust and Enac, are called upon to carry out investigations “in the interests of air transport users”.
At the basis of the complaint there is an incorrect practice which, according to the Codaconswould be followed by numerous airlines. It would be theextension of flight times on the travel document only to avoid having to pay compensation to travelers in the event of a delay.
What is padding
This practice is called padding and it is increasingly widespread. According to Codacons it consists in indicating already during the ticket sales phase and on the travel documents a flight duration higher than that actually found on the basis of official flight data.
With this practice, airlines manage to create rather large margins between declared flight time and actual flight time, with differences varying up to around 70 minutes on intercontinental flights and around 40-50 minutes on medium-range European routes.
Extension of flight times to avoid refunds
But how does this incorrect practice work? According to Codacons, several airlines extend flight times directly on the ticket, so as to be able to justify, in the event of a delay, the failure to pay compensation to travellers.
Among the reports received there are cases in which the deviation, i.e. the lengthening of times, occurs up to 70 minutes on long-haul routes. A reported case is that of Rome-Miami; but there are also cases of shorter extensions, between 40 and 45 minutes on medium-haul routes or 20 minutes on short routes.
Some examples:
- the flight between Milan Malpensa and New York is indicated at nine hours and 45 minutes, but actually takes 39 minutes less;
- the flight between Rome and Buenos Aires is indicated at 14 hours, but takes 13 hours and 10 minutes, therefore 50 minutes less;
- the flight between Rome and Istanbul lengthens the time by 25 minutes;
- the flight between Venice and Amsterdam extends the time by 24 minutes;
- the flight between Milan and Athens extends the time by 23 minutes;
- the flight between Fiumicino and Madrid extends the time by 22 minutes.
As Codacons highlights in the complaint:
These are conducts capable of compressing passengers’ rights and altering the correct balance between carriers and end users, in open contrast with European and national consumer protection regulations.
What changes for those who travel?
According to Codacons, this conduct is central from the point of view of consumer protection. After all, as the complaint points out, the duration of the flight and the consequent arrival time are essential information regarding air transport and can have a decisive impact on the user’s economic choices.
Furthermore, indicating a flight duration that does not correspond to the actual one could integrate a deceptive commercial practiceat least in terms of the way in which the information is presented or the omission of relevant data. In conclusion, we read that this practice risks being configured as a form of fraud and deception to the detriment of the customer, with the effect of inducing “the passenger to misrepresent the main characteristics of the service offered”.
