UK: Passengers could be charged GBP25 for failed claims against airlines

Passengers of EasyJet and British Airways, and the UK’s biggest package holiday operators, could be charged GBP25 if they make a complaint about delays, cancellations or lost baggage that is subsequently not upheld. The airlines, plus Thomson and Thomas Cook, have joined a dispute resolution service for tricky complaints that cannot be resolved by the companies themselves. But passengers who use this must pay if their case is unsuccessful. Previously, the Civil Aviation Authority ran a free mediation service between travellers and airlines for passengers who were not satisfied with the resolution provided by the company. But under new aviation rules, airlines and package holiday providers have voluntarily agreed to be registered with the external Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme. <br/>