Quietly, just before it broke up for its long summer break, the European Parliament backed a European Commission (EC) proposal requiring carriers operating within the European Union (EU) to advertise fares detailing certain criteria. All taxes, non-avoidable charges, surcharges and fees known at the time of publication, must be included in the advertised price whether in media or online.
Carriers such as Ryanair, who automatically add on insurance and a bag charge (which of course you can take off), will have to make very clear what the flight is going to cost from the moment it is shown on a search of the airline”s website.
The proposal becomes law from December 2007, although credit and debit card charges can still be added. EasyJet showed last week just how it should be done by introducing a very easy to use new booking tool, while British Airways set an industry standard some time back.
This move follows a paper published in July last year which laid down new ground rules regarding the marketing, selling and delivery of air travel by carriers within the EU. Price discrimination on the basis of residence or nationality, forbids airlines from charging differing fares simultaneously on country-designated versions of their websites.
The arguments for and against Europe are well known. It does create yet another layer of government in terms of discussion and implementation and what is good for the Greeks, or perhaps the citizens of Latvia, may not suit those living in the Isles of Scilly. However in terms of air travel the whole system is beginning to come together and the benefits can be easily seen.
EC VP-Transport, Jacques Barrot, summed it up: "The liberalisation of air transport is a European success story. Citizens enjoy more travel opportunities and lower fares than ever before. We want to consolidate this success by removing all restrictions to the free provision of air services and ensuring fair competition between airlines."
The new regulations cover a vast field in terms of aircraft operations and services. PSO (public service obligation) routes will now last four years and there is a relaxing of rules regarding the leasing of aircraft registered in the EU. However, it does make leasing aircraft registered in other countries more difficult, always a cause for scepticism by air operators.
Europe”s relationship with the United States is getting better too. We all know about the new bilateral arrangements but what is not so well appreciated is an agreement regarding the transfer of passenger name record (PNR) data, opposed by some civil liberty groups.
The current interim agreement, finally settled in October last year, comes into effect on 1 January 2008.
The EU politicians are now satisfied that information given to the US authorities will not be abused.
Mr Brown, our new Prime Minister, last week announced measures along the same lines where every person leaving or entering the UK will be electronically screened under measures designed to expose terrorists. Let us hope that those coming from Ireland enter under the same procedures. Currently arrivals to the UK from the Republic (which has a somewhat lax entry process) are not subject to the same scrutiny as other European countries.
Using technical jargon, EU airlines from the start of next year begin to "push" PNR data in their reservation systems to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), replacing a system in which DHS "pulled" the data from the carriers' systems. The data will be retained in an "active database" by DHS for no more than seven years and can be used by US authorities "only for the purpose of preventing and combating terrorism and related offences and other serious offences that are transnational in nature."
In simple terms if you are going to the US, you need to supply your airline with personal details (passport number and the like) when you make the booking ” ABTN suspects that this might become the norm for inter-European flights too. The procedures are then very simple when you arrive at the US gateway. You will still be told to take your shoes off and don”t wear a hat, as you will be asked to take that off too.
Progress is being made. Watching for terrorists and watching for politicians may not sound as if they are in the same territory, but they are. Passengers and airlines need to focus.