The approved rules should significantly strengthen the rights of Russians using air transport. As Gazeta.Ru notes, in case of flight delays, airlines are now obliged to provide passengers with hot meals (if the delay exceeds 4 hours), drinks (if the delay exceeds 2 hours), and a hotel room (if the delay exceeds 8 hours during the day or 6 hours at night). Passengers with a child under the age of seven must be provided with a mother and child room. In addition, under the new rules, if a delay exceeds 2 hours, a passenger is entitled to two phone calls or two emails. All these services are provided at the airline's expense, meaning they will be free for passengers.
Another important innovation is the possibility of restoring a lost ticket. Recall that the previously valid air transportation rules stipulated that 'a passenger who does not present a ticket is not allowed for transportation, lost tickets are not reinstated, duplicates are not issued, and the money paid for the ticket is not refunded.' According to paragraph 70 of the new rules approved by Russia's Ministry of Transport, 'the absence, incorrectness, or loss of a travel ticket do not affect either the existence or the validity of the passenger air transportation contract.' If a passenger declares a ticket lost, improperly issued, or damaged, the carrier must immediately take all measures within its power to establish the fact of the passenger's air transportation contract. If the contract is confirmed, the airline must take the passenger on board.
Representatives of the largest Russian airlines that carry out passenger and cargo air transportation assess the new rules positively and state that they are ready for their introduction. Moreover, according to them, the existing internal transportation rules of some airlines are even stricter than those introduced by the Ministry of Transport order.
«We definitely welcome the implementation of these rules,» said Transaero press service head Sergey Bykhal. «Transaero has voluntarily undertaken to comply with EU rules, which are in many ways stricter than the rules being introduced.»
«We positively assess the introduction of the new rules,» said Aeroflot deputy press service head Viktor Sokolov. «Global practice in Russia and other countries shows that the best airlines are ahead of legislation, as these requirements are dictated by the market and international organizations. Almost all requirements of the rules are already being met by us, and the company's internal rules are even stricter.»
According to lawyers surveyed by Gazeta.Ru, the decision of the Russian aviation authorities to expand passenger rights can only be welcomed, since the old air transportation rules were hopelessly outdated. «The new rules are better because they take into account changes in legislation, and passengers have gained new rights. For example, the number of hours of waiting after which the carrier must provide the passenger with food in case of a flight delay is precisely specified. There was no such thing in the old rules,» emphasized Alexander Baiborodin, a lawyer at the Persona-Grata agency. He was echoed by Dmitry Davydenko, chairman of the Club for the Protection of Tourist Rights. After the rules are introduced, passenger claims will be based on a regulatory act, not on common sense, as was the case before, Dmitry Davydenko believes.
However, according to Irina Tyurina, press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST), the Ministry of Transport order will not solve all the problems faced by Russian air passengers. «The appearance of rules is not a solution to the problem of charter flights. The shortage of aircraft remains in the market, and any single flight delay during the high season leads to a chain reaction. This summer, up to 40 flights were simultaneously delayed in Moscow. Moreover, even Moscow airports do not have the infrastructure to meet the requirements of the rules. The same applies to resorts,» Irina Tyurina believes. In addition, the new rules from the Ministry of Transport say nothing about airline compensation for delays. Thus, according to Tyurina, the old norm remains in force – 25 rubles per hour and no more than half the ticket price, and passengers will have to seek compensation from airlines for services not provided or partially provided through the courts.
The order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation 'General Rules for Air Transportation of Passengers, Baggage, Cargo and Requirements for Servicing Passengers, Shippers, Consignees' will come into force 10 days after its publication – on October 25.