Airline rules and conditions you didn't know about

Controversial airline service rules and conditions, which, according to Nerijus Zaleckas, Managing Partner of Zaleckas Partners, violate passenger rights.

Here are a few of them when it comes to getting compensation for canceled or delayed flights:

• Passengers must first file a claim directly with the airline and only then turn to third parties to represent their interests. But what if the passenger is unable to do this or simply does not want to do it themselves? There can be many reasons for this. It is also important to remember the fundamental right to receive legal assistance in any available form.

• Airlines may apply an administrative fee. The amount of such a fee is not specified in the terms and conditions - it is determined on a case-by-case basis, without a clear legal basis or justification. Such a provision may be considered an unfair consumer contract term, which is null and void.

• Passengers must present a paper boarding pass - an electronic one is not suitable. The question arises, are we really living in the 21st century? Airlines accept electronic boarding passes on a mobile phone when a passenger boards the plane, but ask for a printed pass when requesting compensation.

• “Please come to our head office with your ID and you will be paid your compensation there.” It may sound absurd, but this is the kind of email a passenger might receive when requesting compensation. Airlines don’t ask you to come to their head office to purchase flight tickets. And how much would it cost Australian passengers to get such compensation if they had to come to any head office in Europe?

Reading airline rules and conditions is not always helpful. Some surprising terms are neither written nor listed on the website. They only appear when a passenger requests compensation. The aim of such terms seems to be to avoid payment or delay it as long as possible. Therefore, passengers have the right to use the help available to them and fight for their rights.

Prepared by:

Nerijus Zaleckas

APB Zaleckas Partners

Managing Partner