PASSENGERS RIGHTS IN AIR TRAFFIC AND THEIR ENFORCEMENT BY EUROPEAN UNION LAW

V diplomskem delu so predstavljene pravice potnikov v letalskem prometu s poudarkom na pravici do odškodnine in sam postopek, kako uveljaviti kršene pravice potnikov v letalskem prometu. Vse navedeno je predstavljeno v skladu z zakonodajo EU, v glavnem po Uredbi (ES) št. 261/2004. Poleg omenjene uredbe, ki ureja pravice potnikov v primerih zavrnitve vkrcanja, odpovedi letov, velikih zamud letov, so na kratko predstavljene tudi posebne pravice invalidnih potnikov in potnikov z omejeno mobilnostjo v letalskem prometu v skladu z Uredbo (ES) št. 1107/2006. Prav tako sta na kratko predstavljeni Montrealska konvencija in njena predhodnica Varšavska konvencija. Največja pozornost v diplomskem delu je posvečena pravicam potnikov pri prekinitvah letov. Pojasnjeni so pojmi »zavrnitev vkrcanja«, »odpoved leta« in »zamuda leta« oziroma »velika zamuda leta«. V njihovo pojasnitev se je vključilo tudi Sodišče EU s svojo sodno prakso in velikokrat rešilo spore ob različnem pojmovanju ali razlagi določb Uredbe (ES) št. 261/2004. Glavne pravice potnikov v večini primerov prekinitev leta so pravica do obveščenosti potnikov o svojih pravicah, pravica do informiranosti potnikov glede možnega nadomestnega prevoza, pravica do odškodnine, pravica do vrnjene prevoznine ali do preusmeritve poti in pravica do oskrbe. Podrobneje je predstavljena pravica do odškodnine iz naslova prekinitev letalskega prevoza ter izredne razmere kot razlog za izključitev odškodninske odgovornosti letalskega prevoznika. Nadalje je opisana še standardizirana odškodnina in višina le-te, ki je določena v Uredbi (ES) št. 261/2004, zastaralni rok za odškodninski zahtevek ter dodatna odškodnina. V zadnjem poglavju je podrobneje predstavljen postopek uveljavljanja kršenih pravic potnikov v letalskem prometu in težave pri tem. Opisana sta dva postopka, in sicer postopek uveljavljanja kršenih pravic potnikov v letalskem prometu po zasebni poti ter postopek uveljavljanja kršenih pravic potnikov v letalskem prometu po javni poti. Glavno vlogo v obeh postopkih imajo nacionalni izvršilni organi vsake posamezne države članice, ki zagotavljajo spoštovanje pravic potnikov, določenih v Uredbi (ES) št. 261/2004 s strani letalskih prevoznikov. Predstavljena je tudi vloga Evropskih potrošniških centrov, ki nudijo brezplačne svetovalne storitve na področju pravic potnikov v letalskem prometu. Na koncu diplomskega dela so predstavljene še težave pri uveljavljanju kršenih pravic potnikov v letalskem prometu. Bistveni težavi pri tem sta, da potniki niso dobro seznanjeni s svojimi pravicami, oziroma jih ne znajo uveljaviti, ter da letalski prevozniki ne spoštujejo pravic, določenih v Uredbi (ES) št. 261/2004. Obe težavi se navezujeta tudi na težave zaradi neenotne uporabe pravil iz Uredbe (ES) št. 261/2004 ter neenotnega izvrševanja v različnih državah članicah EU. Zaradi nekaterih nepopolnih, nejasnih in sistematično nasprotujočih si določb Uredbe (ES) št. 261/2004 in nedosledne in neenotne implementacije same uredbe pa prihaja do sporov med potniki in letalskimi prevozniki. Sodišče EU sicer s svojimi sodbami rešuje navedene spore, vendar prihaja tudi do nedosledne sodne prakse. Zaradi nedoločenosti pritožbenega postopka v sami Uredbi (ES) št. 261/2004 pa prihaja tudi do neenotnih pritožbenih postopkov. Vse omenjeno zahteva celovito prenovo sistema varstva pravic oziroma same Uredbe (ES) št. 261/2004. Na koncu diplomskega dela so predstavljeni še predlogi za izboljšanje sistema varstva pravic. Evropska komisija je predlagala, da se z določenimi ukrepi doseže učinkovit in dosleden sistem uveljavljanja pravic potnikov. Bistveno pri vsem pa je, da letalski prevozniki spoštujejo pravice potnikov in da se zagotovi pravično razmerje njunih pravic in obveznosti. Kljub vsem predlaganim spremembam pa do nujno potrebne reforme same Uredbe (ES) št. 261/2004 še ni prišlo. Dokler do te ne bo prišlo, bo potnik še vedno zgolj šibkejša stranka in njegove pravice ne bodo spoštovane, kot bi morale biti.My thesis presents the topic of air passengers’ rights with emphasis on the right to compensation and the procedure how to enforce the violated air passengers’ rights, mainly in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. In addition to Regulation that regulates air passengers’ rights in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellation, long delays and similar, special rights for disabled person and person with reduced mobility according to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 are also shortly presented. The Montreal Convention and their predecessor, the Warsaw Convention, are also shortly presented. The emphasis in the thesis is on air passengers’ rights in the case of flight disruptions as denied boarding, flight cancellation and long delays. These terms are clarified in accordance with the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU. It has solved many conflicts because of different comprehension and interpretation of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. The main passengers’ rights in almost all cases of flight disruptions are: the right to be informed about their air passenger rights, the right to an alternative transport, the right to compensation, the right to reimbursement of fare or re-routing and the right to care. The right to compensation because of flight disruptions and extraordinary circumstances as an exception to the right to compensation are presented in detail. Furthermore, the standardised or lump sum compensation and the amount of it, which is determined in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, is described. The deadline for damage claim and the additional compensation are also described. The last chapter presents the procedure of enforcement of the violated air passenger rights and the problems with it. Two kinds of procedure are described: one is the private enforcement procedure and the other is public enforcement procedure. The main role of national enforcement bodies in both procedures is assuring that air passengers’ rights determined in Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 are respected from air carriers. The European consumers’ centre’s main role, that is also present in the thesis, is that they inform and assist European citizens with their practical cross-border consumer issues for free. At the end of my thesis, two main problems with enforcing the violated rights in air traffic, are presented. These are that passengers are not aware of their rights or they do not know how to enforce them and that air carriers are not respecting these rights regulated with Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. Both problems refer to the problem due to uneven application and enforcement of the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 through the European Union. Grey areas, gaps, systematic inconsistencies in the current legalization and inconsistent interpretation of the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 have caused many disputes between air passengers and air carriers. Court of Justice of the EU has solved many disputes with their judgments, although some of them are inconsistent. Because the complaint handling procedure is not determined in the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, it also comes to the non-uniform complaint handling procedures. All the mentioned problems should be solved with amending Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. At the end of my thesis, proposals for improving protection system of air passengers’ rights, are also presented. The European Commission suggested some measures with the objective to ensure effective and consistent enforcement of passengers’ rights. It is also essential that air carriers respect the air passengers’ rights and that there is a fair balance between their rights and obligations. Despite all the mentioned proposals, the Regulation No (EC) 261/2004 is still not amended. Until the changes are made in the Regulation, the passengers will still stay a weaker party and their rights will not be respected as they need to be