The Antitrust has fined the airlines British Airways and Etihad Airways for a total of one million euros for an unfair commercial practice.
During the online purchase procedure for round-trip or sequential tickets, the two companies did not inform travelers of the existence of the "no-show rule". In other words, they did not clarify that they would prevent passengers who missed the outward flight (or the previous segment included in the ticket already purchased) from taking the return flight (or the subsequent legs of the multi-leg outward journey) without additional costs ).
At the same time, the Authority accepted the commitments presented by Emirates, Iberia and KLM aimed, on the one hand, at adequately informing the consumer about the existence and application methods of this rule and, on the other, at implementing a procedure aimed at allow the passenger to use subsequent flights without charges, provided he promptly warns the company of his intention.
British Airways and Etihad Airways, on the other hand, did not intend to change the methods of communication and application of the no show rule disputed during the proceeding and will in any case have to communicate the measures implemented to comply with the warning from the Antitrust.
Last November, the Authority had started as many proceedings against Alitalia, Air France, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines assuming the failure to respect consumer rights in the application of the no-show rule.
