National Council rejects voucher application from the SPÖ
On Monday, a motion relevant to consumers was discussed in the Austrian National Council. The SPÖ demanded that vouchers issued in connection with cancelled flights or trips must be paid out after their validity has expired. The motion also called for a uniform regulation to be created. Refunds in connection with cancelled package holidays and flights are still a major nuisance for consumers. Although the Package Travel Act and EU Regulation 261/2004 provide an indisputable legal basis for those affected to get their money back, airlines and tour operators are still not particularly strict about this. Often, attempts are made to "sell" vouchers to consumers. Some providers have even trained their service centers to give consumers false information in order to persuade them to accept the voucher. Occasionally, vouchers are also proactively sent by email and/or post. If an airline cancels a booked flight, passengers have numerous rights. These are set out in EU Regulation 261/2004. Regardless of the reason for the cancellation, the passenger, if he or she does not want to travel, has a legal right to a refund of the ticket price within seven days. The Package Travel Act also provides for such a right and regulates the process precisely. The problem, however, is that airlines and tour operators are ignoring the law and are trying to protect their own liquidity by issuing compulsory vouchers. The SPÖ requested in the National Council that the passing on of financial problems to consumers be curbed by further legal regulations. The Social Democrats wanted to explicitly state that there is no obligation to issue vouchers or rebookings for cancelled flights.