ECTAA warns EU passenger‑rights rules will penalise travel agents

The European Union has reached a provisional agreement on new air‑passenger‑rights rules that would grant passengers a full refund, including any agency commissions, when a flight is cancelled. The European Confederation of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ECTAA) has voiced serious concerns, saying the measure does not distinguish between the airline’s transport service and the work of independent intermediaries that have no control over cancellations.

ECTAA argues the rules would force travel agents to refund fees for services already rendered, effectively making them work without compensation and exposing thousands of agencies – especially those with more than ten employees – to significant financial risk. The association’s president, Heli Mäki‑Fränti, said, “It is very disappointing to see the co‑legislators not recognizing the value that independent travel intermediaries offer to consumers… forcing intermediaries to refund their remuneration for services already rendered while handling cancellations outside their control is fundamentally unfair.”

The association had proposed an alternative solution that would require clear information at the point of sale about which amounts are refundable, preserving fair remuneration for the services provided. A limited exemption for micro‑enterprises was deemed insufficient.