Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1240944
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 APRIL 2020 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS LAURA CALLEJA THOUSANDS of flights across Europe were cancelled since gov- ernments imposed travel bans to stop the spread of COVID-19, hitting business travel and Easter school holidays. But while many airlines are paying customers back, some are not. Passengers within the Europe- an Union already benefit from some of the world's toughest compensation rights, receiving meal vouchers for short flight delays as well as being able to claim compensation for things as small as on-board coffee spills. In fact, over the years, airlines have fought countless legal battles to clarify when exactly they need to pay out for flight delays, cancella- tions or boarding issues. However, airlines seem unable to cope with the unprecedented influx of refund requests during the pandemic: Ryanair, one of Malta's most popular airlines due to its low-cost flights has started telling its customers that they will have to wait until "the COV- ID-19 emergency has passed" if they want a refund for a cancelled flight. Initially, the Dublin-based car- rier had said it would process re- funds within 20 working days but has since back-tracked and issu- ing credit notes. But this makes Ryanair and oth- er airlines where customers have yet to see refunds materialise, are, in breach of EU law. At the beginning of April, the European Union issued a statement, saying that EU law required reimburse- ments to be made within seven days. The legislation, which dates to 2004, sets no time limit for the validity of travel vouchers. "Airlines must refund cancelled flight tickets," EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean said. "They can of course also offer a voucher but – and this is very important – only if the cus- tomer agrees to accept this." Apart from offering cash re- funds, Air Malta is also offering alternatives, which it said were intended to ensure the ongoing partnership with its customers who could not benefit from im- mediate re-routing. The airline said the offers were more flexible and included travel vouchers that range from future credits to an extra 30% travel voucher of the value of the fare purchased. Air Malta is also al- lowing customers to change their destination and choose a new date within 12 months from the date of the original flight free of charge. Other airlines such as EasyJet took another approach, remov- ing the option to request a refund on its site and instead steering their passengers to accept flight vouchers. Customers who were prepared to rebook for future flights or take a voucher were able to do so swiftly. However, customers who wanted refunds were allegedly told that it wasn't possible at the time. However, the airline has since reintroduced the option of a cash refund. EasyJet said customers could claim a refund through its call centre, acknowledging that there are currently "higher than average wait times." WizzAir are also offering re- funds. However, due to the un- precedented number of emer- gency cancellations, it said the process would take longer than usual. The airline said that cus- tomers who decide to cash out will only be eligible for 100% of the original fare without the lu- crative 20% mark-up. This is because customers who had booked through the air- line's app were given 120% of the original price, which would be automatically uploaded to the customer's WIZZ account in the form of credit on Wizz Air prod- ucts and services for 24 months. Volotea, another airline flying from Malta, is refunding passen- gers, but any requests or claims might take a significantly longer period, citing at least six weeks. The airline is also offering vouchers which can be used for 12 months to book a new flight once its operations resume. Airline ticket refunds no straightforward affair The Parliamentary Service invites applications for the post of TECHNICAL SUPPORT OFFICERS (ICT/AV) at the House of Representatives on both part-time and full-time basis (Call HR 1/2020 - Jobsplus Permit 519/2017). Details concerning the conditions, duties, eligibility requirements, selection and submission of applicants can be found in the call for applications which may be downloaded from the website of the Parliament of Malta at www.parlament.mt/vacancies or collected from the Finance and Administration Section, House of Representatives, Freedom Square, Valletta VLT 1111. Applications, together with the relative documentation, will be received by the Clerk of the House by no later than noon (12.00pm) CET, Friday, 23 April 2021, or submitted electronically on clerkofthehouse@parlament.mt. A number of selection processes will be held until the closing date. The first selection process will consider applications submitted by noon (12.00pm) CET, Friday, 8 May 2020. Cancel at your own risk A general consensus among airlines in Europe is that refunds only appear to be provided if the flight is cancelled by the air- lines themselves. Passengers who decided to cancel flights that were still scheduled to go ahead, appear to be out of luck. Under EU legislation, a money-back option arises only when a flight is grounded by an airline. Passengers who cancel their own flights might be offered vouchers by the carriers but aren't legally enti- tled to a refund even if the vouchers go unused. Ryanair had said it would process refunds within 20 working days but has since back- tracked, issuing credit notes THE Nationalist Party has crit- icised the government's call for applications for the post of Com- missioner of Police, saying that the post's four-year tenure was confirmation that Prime Min- ister Robert Abela wanted to continue to choose the Commis- sioner himself and control him "in the most absolute manner" during his time in the post. Government announced the public call for applications for the post last Friday. Among the de- tails published was the fact that the successful candidate would be on a 48-month contract, with the possibility of renewal. It also specified that the position was subject to a one-year probation- ary period. "This decision by the Labour government goes against the spirit of the recommendations of the Venice Commission," said PN MPs Beppe Fenech Adami and Karol Aquilina, pointing out that the Commission had recom- mended a five-year tenure and did not mention any probation periods. The PN said this would allow Prime Minister Robert Ab- ela to fire the candidate he him- self had chosen until the proba- tion period lapsed. It emphasised that in a demo- cratic society it was essential to have a police force led by a pro- fessional and impartial person, "who embraced the Rule of Law as the best tool for the protection of citizens". PN doubts on police chief call