Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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74. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will contact airlines specifically an airline (details supplied) to require it to provide free of charge rescheduling of flights scheduled prior to 19 July 2021 to dates after 19 July 2021 when international travel restrictions have been lifted. [32314/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Air passenger rights are protected by Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004, which covers the rights of airline passengers in instances of flight cancellations, among other matters. It provides that where a flight is cancelled then a consumer must receive a refund within seven days. However, there is no legal onus on airlines to refund where a flight goes ahead. ‎‎Mindful of the position that Government has taken in relation to international travel in the interests of public health, the matter of consumer protection, consumer refunds and particularly fair treatment of air passengers who choose not to travel on Government advice, has been high on my agenda since assuming Office. I have taken many opportunities to impress on the main Irish airlines that their treatment of passengers who choose not to travel, for example in following Government advice, needs to be fair and reasonable.‎‎I have sought clarification from the two main Irish airlines on their current rebooking policies. Ryanair has clarified that the expiry dates for vouchers that were issued for flight cancellations last year are being extended so as to enable passengers to make bookings when travel is open again. I understand from their response also that a rebooking can be made with no flight change fee for travel before 31 October 2021. Finally, Ryanair has also informed me that that vouchers that were offered to customers whose flights were cancelled can be converted to cash at any time or can be redeemed for future bookings.

In continuing dialogue with the airlines, I will seek to ensure that passenger considerations are kept in focus.