Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen is prepared, together with ANVR, ANWB, Consumentenbond and SGR, to investigate the possibility of an airline ticket guarantee fund in the Netherlands. This is the outcome of a discussion that the parties had about this yesterday.

Frits van Bruggen, general director of the ANWB: 'We are pleased that the minister is listening and is willing to further investigate the plan together with us. For our 4,8 million members it is important that this is arranged now. '

During the telephone consultation, the parties again explained the significant consequences for consumers if airlines go bankrupt. More than 3,5 airlines have gone bankrupt in Europe alone in the past 20 years.
Consumers suffer millions of euros in loss as a result of losing their ticket money and, if they are already at their destination, often having to book a return flight at great expense.

Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumers' Association: 'Such a guarantee fund can ensure that travelers book a plane ticket with confidence, even in these uncertain times, because they do not run the risk of losing their money'.

Following the Danish example, the 'airline ticket guarantee fund' coalition has developed a proposal in which travelers pay a small amount of, for example, € 0,25 in addition to the airline ticket price in favor of the guarantee fund. Customers can be paid and repatriated from this fund in the event of an airline's bankruptcy.

Walter Schut, Deputy Director ANVR: 'Our travelers, but also our ANVR members regularly run into the bankruptcy problem of airlines. We are enthusiastic that we can now further develop this together with the ministry '.

During the consultation, the Minister indicated that he would like to look further into this jointly. Her preference is for a European approach, but a specifically Dutch solution does not have to stand in the way of this. Van Nieuwenhuizen has asked the parties to come up with a further elaboration of the proposal. Work will continue on the proposal in the coming weeks. This coalition guarantee fund for airline tickets will speak further with the minister at the end of October.

Erik Jan Reuver, director of SGR: 'This is now well organized in Denmark. The Danish guarantee fund implements this. SGR can set up and implement an SGR Aviation Fund. We are very happy to contribute to this in order to protect consumers even better '!

Also read: Reissector ANVR has it very hard and asks for support