EU ups protection for ferry passengers who face delays

FERRY TRAVEL:FERRY PASSENGERS are likely to benefit from enhanced protection if their journeys are delayed or cancelled after the European Parliament this week backed new rules for water-based travel within the EU.

At present, ferry passengers only have the right to a refund or a space on a later sailing if a journey is disrupted but, unlike airline customers, they are not entitled to compensation.

During April’s ash crisis, the open-ended nature of the recompense available to airline passengers left stranded was thrown into stark relief. Under EU law, airline passengers are entitled to “reasonable” expenses in the event of delays but there was no definition of what reasonable meant or for what length of time someone could claim back expenses.

The EU rules covering ferry transport, which will not come into force until 2012, are set to be much less ambiguous.

Ferry passengers will be entitled to a refund or re-routing if a journey is cancelled or delayed by over 90 minutes.

They will also be entitled to free meals and accommodation of up to three nights – costing no more than €80 a night if they are stranded by cancellations or delays.

Ferry passengers will get compensation of between 25 and 50 per cent of a ticket price if a journey is delayed or cancelled.

“Passengers travelling by water will benefit from the same basic quality service standards wherever they travel in the European Union,” said Siim Kallas, vice-president of the European Commission in charge of transport.