Travel industry organization ANVR, Consumers' Association, ANWB and guarantee fund SGR have been arguing for some time for an airline ticket guarantee fund to better protect consumers in the event of an airline going bankrupt. After research, commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, SEO and Lexavia show that a national ticket guarantee fund is a good solution. The ANVR, enthusiastic and satisfied with this outcome, now calls on politicians to actually arrange this.
Travelers who buy a single plane ticket are, in contrast to package travelers, hardly protected by law against airlines that go bankrupt. ANVRConsumers' association, ANWB and SGR have been calling for better protection of this group of travelers for some time and presented a plan for a national ticket fund in 2019. At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management asked SEO Economic Research and Lexavia to conduct an exploratory study into the design, effects and alternatives of such a national fund.
"We are pleased that our proposal for a ticket guarantee fund has now been thoroughly examined together with the Ministry. The research shows that there are simply significant risks for air travelers and these risks will only increase. We have therefore developed the proposal for a reason. "
SEO points out that in the past 10 years, 91 airlines in Europe have gone bankrupt, affecting 5 million travelers. This amounts to 0,14% of all air travelers with a damage of € 1,1 billion. The damage is high for travelers who are stranded at the destination or have to buy an expensive alternative ticket just before departure. The damage for passengers in the Dutch market amounts to an average of € 520.
Research agency SEO has calculated that a fund of € 129 million is needed. If you look at a guarantee fund as is used in Denmark, where travelers are repatriated in the event of bankruptcy and (if there are funds left) departing customers are compensated, then a levy should be imposed for passengers departing in the Netherlands. If the fund is built up over 5 years, a contribution of only €1 per ticket is required. The impact of the levy, such as consumer swerve and the airline's competitive position, is small, according to SEO.
"All alternatives have been taken into account, but the plan we have proposed is the most sensible solution. The political parties now have the floor. It would be nice to include the plan in the cabinet formation. It offers the traveler the most efficient form of protection and without costing the government money." However, the government is expected to guarantee a loan in case the funds of the fund are insufficient in the event of a damage in the start-up phase. Legally a law is needed, but the Danish model indicates that there are no objections from the EU. "There is great support among the many millions of members of ANVR, Consumers' Association and ANWB and SGR is excellently capable of taking care of the implementation. So don't hesitate now, just do it".