Know your rights - straightaway!
Your smartphone to the rescue…
This month saw the European Commission (EC) launch a new mobile phone app, which gives travellers easy access to their air and rail passenger rights. Targetting passengers who might be stranded for whatever reason, experiencing long delays or have missing luggage - if you've got the app, you'll be able to see what you're entitled to straight away. For example, if your flight is cancelled and you're consequently denied boarding, a quick look at your smartphone and you'll know that you could be entitled to compensation of between €125 and €600.
This will be a great comfort to anyone who's ever had problems at the airport but felt at the mercy of what airline and airport staff are telling them (and you'll get the information straight away too!). The app also includes useful contact numbers as well as travel information advice from the EC when there are serious problems affecting their travel - like when a volcano spews ash affecting the skies for instance…
Siim Kallas from the EC said: "How many of us have stood in an airport and felt the frustration of people telling you that you have no rights when you know you have". He added "With this application millions of travellers can have easy access to the right information about their passenger rights when they most need it, when unexpected situations arise."
All this is part of the EC's 'Your passenger rights at hand' campaign. The app is free and available to download for people with Apple's iPhone and iPad, Blackberry, Google Android and Microsoft Windows Phone 7. Although it only covers air and rail travel at the moment, the EC hope to launch a similar service for bus/coach and marine travel next year.
To find out more about your passenger rights and to download the app, visit the European Commision website.