Travellers whose flights are cancelled or delayed or who are denied boarding will be legally entitled to compensation, in terms of European Parliament Legislation (seePassenger Rights - EU on main menu)passed at the beginning of July. Consumer advocates applaud the measures as enforcing passenger rights and discouraging overbooking -but airlines are furious. "What the European Parliament has voted through today is a nonsense," responded EasyJet CEO Ray Webster. The new EU legislation specifies compensation payments. Compensation for delays of more than two hours or denied boarding on short haul flights (less than 1 500kilome tres) will start at €250. For denied boarding or delays of over four hours on long-haul flights, compensation can be up to € 600 per passenger. Airlines will not have to compensate passengers for flights cancelled because of industrial action. The new legislation will apply to passengers departing from EU airports, and to those flying into the EU with a European carrier. It will be referred to the European Council and possibly to a conciliation procedure with the European Commission. It is unlikely to be in effect before summer 2004.
Announcement for a new Airport in Iraklion
Iraklion 23 November .
A new international airport with better services is to be built 45 kilometers southeast of the popular tourist destination of Iraklion, Crete .
A total of 813 million euros is to be invested in the new airport, which is to come into operation in 2009,
This airport will cover the Transport needs of Iraklion and nearby areas untill 2020.
There have been several disputes between the further development of the current N.Kazantzakis Iraklion airport,and a new development of an airport in Kastelli which currently is a military field.
The New Olympic Airlines
Athens 12 December 2003
| Greek Parliament has enacted special legislation in the reform of the Olympic Airways Group of companies. |
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This new legislation provides for the flight division of Olympic Airways as well as that of its subsidiary Olympic Aviation SA to merge with a subsidiary company known as Macedonian Airlines that has been re-named to Olympic Airlines. |
Olympic Airlines commenced operations on December 12th,2003 at 00:01 Athens time utilizing the fleet & personell of Olympic Airways Group (Olympic Airways, Olympic Aviation and Macedonian Airlines).
The new company operates the schedule and routes presently operated by Olympic Airways and its subsidiaries, using a fleet of A340-300, A300-605R, B737-400, B737-300, ATR72, ATR42 and Bombardier DASH-8 aircraft.
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