Chaos at airports: Ministry threatens to examine advance payment practice for flights

Created: 02/07/2022 22:23

In view of a number of flight cancellations and delays at airports, the review of advance payment practice for flights is being considered.

Berlin – Because of the delays and cancellations at airports, the Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection from Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) appealed to the airlines, according to a spokeswoman, to proactively fulfill their “statutory obligation to reimburse within seven days”, as the “Welt am Sonntag reported.

"Otherwise you will have to review the advance payment practice in its current form," said the spokeswoman for the newspaper.

"With advance payment, passengers have a high risk when there are flight cancellations or airline bankruptcies."

Flight cancellations and chaos at the airport: Checking the prepayment will be considered

When booking flights, consumers usually have to pay the cost of tickets in advance.

The Air Passenger Rights Ordinance stipulates that repayments for flights canceled without replacement must be made within seven days.

Consumer advocates have long been calling for the prepayment practice to be abolished.

The fact that flights usually have to be paid for in advance can mean a considerable financial risk for customers.

Long queues at Düsseldorf Airport.

The Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection is threatening to examine the prepayment practice for flights.

© David Young / dpa

Missing workers: checking the advance payment due to chaos at airports and flight cancellations

The general manager of the Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry, Matthias von Randow, said: "Of course, passengers are entitled to a timely refund of their ticket price if they do not want to rebook their canceled flight." wants to book and thus benefit from early booking discounts via advance payment or want to book and pay at very short notice before departure.

It is unclear whether and how the chaos at German airports is related to a shortage of skilled workers or the exodus of workers due to the corona pandemic.

(dpa) Economists are confused: Where have all the workers gone?