European Vice President launches new passenger rights information campaign

For the first
time, millions of holiday-makers travelling in the EU this summer will be
protected by comprehensive passenger rights – whether travelling by air or
rail, and now also by ship, bus and coach. But research shows that two-thirds
of passengers are not aware of their rights. For this reason, the Commission is
launching a new campaign to inform the many people gearing up to travel this
summer about their passenger rights, and how to claim them if needed.

From 25 to 28
June, launch events will take place in Brussels, Athens-Piraeus and Sofia and
an air passenger rights information day will be held in Warsaw.

Launching the campaign

As part of a
new two-year campaign, eye-catching posters will hang in airports, ports, bus
and train stations across Europe, and leaflets and online information will be
available in all EU languages. This new campaign builds on the existing one,
and will focus particularly on raising awareness of the new maritime passenger
rights, and bus and coach passenger rights.

Why this new campaign?

59% of EU air travellers are unaware
of their rights while travelling, 34% are aware and 7% don't know about their
rights.

66% of EU citizens are not aware of
their contractual rights when purchasing a transport ticket, 34% are aware.

One in six
Europeans suffers from a disability. In addition, an ageing European population
means that there will be a continuously growing number of passengers who need
special assistance because of a disability or reduced mobility. One objective
of the passenger rights legislation is to allow disabled persons and persons
with reduced mobility to have the same possibilities to travel as other
citizens.

The EU is the
first area in the world with a comprehensive set of passenger rights for all
modes of transport (air, rail, waterborne, bus and coach). People need to know
more about the rights they now have under EU law.

How to find out your passenger rights?

A campaign website has been launched covering all transport modes. The
website is available in all of the EU's official languages.

Videos and posters on the campaign:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/passengers/news/campaign_en.htm

For more information
see: 

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/passengers/index_en.htm