Insolvians from Airlines: Ectaa calls for protection for travelers!

Insolvians from Airlines: Ectaa calls for protection for travelers!

Europa - The bankruptcy of Air Belgium has again fueled the discussion about the need for the need for a statutory insolvency protection for airlines in Europe. Ectaa, the European travel agency and organizer association, emphasizes the urgent need for regulation. On September 18, 2023, Air Belgium announced the hiring of all line flights to focus more on the freight and leasing business. On April 30, 2025, the company was finally declared unable to pay what thousands of affected customers who are waiting for reimbursements for canceled flights.

The open reimbursement claims amount to around eight million euros, with over 5 million euros alone for travel agencies and organizers sold. Smaller and medium -sized travel companies that make up 98 percent of travel agents in Europe are particularly affected by this situation. Ectaa President Frank Oostdam emphasizes that in the event of an airline bankruptcy, organizers often have to make replacement offers at their own expense without having a prospect of repayment. These conditions lead to a precarious situation for both consumers and an intermediary, which in many cases have to pay flight tickets in advance.

urgency of insolvency protection

According to ECTAA, around 1,200 bankruptcies have been around at passenger airlines worldwide since the past 25 years. In response, the association calls for financial guarantees for airlines in the event of bankruptcy. This is regarded as a political opportunity to reform the Passenger Rights Regulation (Ordinance 261/2004). An ECTAA proposal aims to introduce a model that is similar to the Danish guarantee fund for flight tickets in which all airlines should take part. The long -term claim for mandatory insolvency protection is reinforced by the incidents around Air Belgium, while the German Travel Association (DRV) is rather reserved on this question.

In addition to the claims of ECTAA, EU Travel Tech and consumer and insurance organizations have also written an open letter to the European Commission. The letter calls for the introduction of an obligation for airlines to provide financial guarantees for passenger liabilities in the event of bankruptcy. Airlines should be responsible for these risks, not the consumers, taxpayers or providers of package guarantees. The increase in airline insolvencies in recent years, reinforced by the financial effects of the COVID-19 crisis, raises serious questions about the safety of passengers.

suggestions and responsibility

A study by the European Commission reported that between 2011 and 2019 a total of 87 airlines registered bankruptcy, which directly affected 5.6 million consumers. The CO signs of the letter advocate a mandatory insolvency protection system in order to adequately protect all affected parties. Alternative measures such as promoting travel insurance or the commissioning of national authorities for returns are regarded as unfair to consumers and taxpayers.

Eric Drésin, General Secretary of Ectaa, emphasizes that travel agencies and tour operators have long been advocating bankruptcy protection obligations at Airlines. The flat-rate travel directive (PTD) could serve as a potential model for such obligations, whereby the Danish guarantee is mentioned as an example. Emmanuel Mounier, General Secretary of EU Travel Tech, emphasizes that a stronger license supervision for EU airfarement companies should be a supplementary measure to the mandatory insolvency protection, but not its replacement.

The factual situation shows that the urgency of a uniform insolvency protection for airlines is overdue in order to protect consumers and the travel industry.