We all love holidays, especially the long ones! But getting there and back can be a nightmare. Blink finds out what we can do when it all goes pear shaped.

A-Z: P for Passenger Rights

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16324568/j002-0129-en.srt

I love holidays, especially in the summer!

And travelling! You don't need to go far  for a real change.

But you still have to arrive.  Cancellations, lost baggage,

denied boarding, overbooking  and long delays.

It's a traveller's nightmare!  But passengers in the EU have rights.

In a few decades, air travel  has become much more common.

It's the same for trains, coaches, or ships.

Loads of new destinations  are now within our reach.

There are low-cost airlines,  and you can buy tickets on the internet.

So ways of travelling have changed,  often for the better.

But customer service and protection  of passenger rights still aren't perfect.

Information and communication  with the passengers -

I have to say it is appalling.  It is appalling.

and you might as well talk to a brick wall,

because they've never heard of  Regulation 261.

or they don't want to know  about Regulation 261.

Regulation 261 sets out common rules  on compensation and assistance

to passengers in the event of denied  boarding, cancellation or long delay.

What if things go wrong? In the event  of cancellation, lost baggage,

long delays, etc,  what exactly are your rights?

Europe wants these passengers to be  treated the same everywhere in the EU.

Here are the main elements  for protecting passenger rights.

Special measures for people  with reduced mobility,

compensation and assistance for  delays, cancellation or denied boarding,

more efficient handling of complaints,  better passenger information.

Some operators try to  get out of their obligations.

Rules are applied differently according  to country and type of transport.

So the situation is certainly not perfect.

In the meantime, here's what to do  if the transporter is at fault.

Contact them to try to solve the problem.

If you think you're entitled  to compensation, send a letter or email

asking them to make amends.  If the response is not satisfactory,

send a complaint  to the competent national body.

There's talk of improving passenger  rights, especially in air travel.

In the meantime, know your rights.  Spread the word.

And don't get taken for a ride  by the transporters. See you!