Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-04-20-Speech-2-034"
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"en.20100420.3.2-034"2
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"Mr President, I should like first of all to emphasise that the application of the precautionary principle by the majority of the European governments when they closed their airspace in a targeted and temporary manner was a wise and prudent decision.
The safety of our fellow citizens must surpass every other consideration and, in these circumstances, the attitude of certain airlines in demanding the complete and immediate opening of the airspace on the strength of one or two test flights seems obscene, to say the least.
I believe that it was Mr Hénin who spoke just now about the complementarity of transport, particularly as regards the railways, and I should like to take this opportunity to say how sorry I am that paralysis in the air has been made worse by the disruption in rail transport caused by strikes that are both irresponsible and incomprehensible in these circumstances.
To return to our subject, I should like to commend the Commission’s decision to authorise the release of public funds to airlines affected by the current disruption. It is a common sense decision in a context already marked by crisis; this assistance must, however, be considered as exceptional.
In this connection, I would like the criteria for granting these funds to include the exemplary behaviour that the airlines must demonstrate in compensating their customers who have fallen victim to flight cancellations. Indeed, it is unacceptable that certain airlines should be abusing the
clause to avoid their obligation under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 to compensate passengers. Travellers are victims of the current situation and, where no alternative solution is offered to them, they should not have to bear the financial cost as well.
Moreover, travel agencies are exempt from the obligation to compensate travellers for unused flights. That is not right, either. Airlines, like travel agencies, have insurance that covers them in exceptional cases, such as the one that we have been experiencing these last few days, and we must therefore ensure that travellers are properly compensated for flights that have been cancelled."@en1
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