Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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138. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if legislation can be enacted to stop airlines overcharging Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Ireland for unprinted boarding passes and extra luggage. [15288/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Under European Union Regulation 1008/2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community, airlines have pricing freedom in relation to setting air fares and air rates for intra-Community air services and other related services such as baggage.

The Regulation 1008/2008 requires that air fares be transparent i.e. that passengers booking a flight must be aware of the final price of a flight including any supplemental elements selected by the passenger, at all times during the booking process.

These are common rules underpinning the operation of commercial air services in the European Union, Ireland could not take unilateral action to deny airlines freedom to set pricing.

Within this framework airlines regularly take into account varying operational realities in setting these fares and charges over time, for example flights at peak times or with short advance bookings may attract higher prices which is an industry norm.