The news had been in the air for days, but now it's official: the European Commission has launched a infringement procedure against Italy and other countries on the rules of passenger rights for canceled flights, which do not provide for the refund of tickets but only vouchers. A choice, made by the Italian government during the lockdown period, which penalizes travelers according to the EU and according to the Italian Antitrust which has stigmatized it.
The "crazy summer" of the airlines is therefore enriched with a further battlefield, between possible cancellations due to Covid, borders still partially closed, quarantine obligations, and lastly the controversies over the reopening of Linate (advance to 13 July under pressure of Alitalia) and for the decision of Enav of ban hand luggage in the overhead bins on board, strongly contested by Ryanair.
Going back to the infringement procedure for refunds, according to the Brussels executive, the rules approved by Rome are the ones most incompatible with Community directives, given that in Italy this problem also concerns travel by bus and train. “The right of travelers is to be able to choose reimbursement”, the Vice-President of the Commission, Margrethe Vestager, reiterated on several occasions. "The reason why we launched an infringement procedure against Greece and Italy - explained a spokesperson - is because these countries have adopted legislation that allows vouchers to be offered as the only method of reimbursement and this goes against the right of passengers who have the right to choose”.
If the voucher issue concerns only Rome and Athens, it is instead aimed at 10 countries, including Italy and Greece again, the infringement procedure on 10 states regarding similar problems on entire holiday packages in which the possibility of obtaining a refund, if any, exceeds the times set by EU rules. Formal letters were also delivered to the Czech Republic, Cyprus, France, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia.
