Collective redress for aviation through online platforms

According to the European Court of Auditors Special Report on passenger rights, passengers suffering the same flight disruption can be treated very differently. Collective redress through online platforms could, hence, provide a great solution to both passengers and airlines, by reducing the amount of claims and ensuring a better protection of the passengers. The European Commission has announced that it will publish a proposal to revise the Directive 2009/22/EC (henceforth referred to as the Directive), with the introduction of measures of collective redress which may include air transport. Not surprisingly, the aviation industry is against such inclusion, arguing that it will considerably increase the regulatory costs, which are already among the most expensive worldwide. At the same time, not having collective redress for aviation cases seems awkward, especially with the Regulation 261/2004 framework.