Update on IFTTA News

• German Court challenges EU Regulation on security standards for passports and travel documents; 
• UK: airlines to include debit card surcharges in headline prices;
• Canada: Transportation Agency decides in flight cancellation and overbooking cases; 
• Germany: lugagge to be carried on a later flight is no legitimate reason to deny boarding; 
• Denmark: passengers of a cancelled flight entitled to rerouting at the earliest opportunity; 
• New Body Scanners at Scottish Airports; 
• Netherlands: new reference for ECJ preliminary ruling regarding air passenger rights; 
• German Supreme Court: no compensation for flight cancellation caused by strike; 
• EU Economic and Social Committee publishes opinion on passenger rights in all transport modes; 
• Egypt: new tourism minister appointed; 
• IFTTA Law Review 2-2012 available online; 
• USA: DOT fines companies for violating Consumer Protection and Price Advertising Rules; 
• UK: Bad Taste Tweets Not Criminal; 
• USA: Airlines lose appeal against DOT fare rules;
• EU Commission publishes consumer tips for visitors to the 2012 Olympic Games; 
• UK and Unfair Contract Terms Reforms; 
• CJEU: inclusion of flight cancellation insurance as a default setting unlawful when selling air tickets over the internet;
• UK: British Airways to check passengers on Google?; 
• Austria: regulation on proper rail passenger behaviour; 
• USA: new law to require airlines to seat families together?; 
•  Scottish Jurisdiction over Shetland; 
• Austria: Appelate court decides on "fly all or pay up" clauses; 
• Spain: Court of Appeal of Barcelona regards Ryanair's boarding pass printing policy lawful; 

Most recent IFTTA news posts

• ECJ Advocate General delivers opinion on rail passenger rights; 
• USA: Transportation Secretary queried on EU Emissions Trading System; 
• Civil Juries to Receive Guidance on Damages in Scotland; 
• Austria: Appelate court reverses judgement in missed connecting flight case; 
• Swedish Court asks ECJ for peliminary ruling regarding Montreal Convention and Reg. 261/2004; 
• ECJ Advocate General: distance contract not preconditional for consumer forum; 
• European Commission launches new European Consumer Agenda; 
• Austria: new legislation related to travel and tourism; 
• ECJ Advocate General proposes the Court to confirm its "Sturgeon"-Judgement; 
• EU Commission to hold another stakeholders' conference on the PTD revision; 
• Germany: Supreme Court to hear cases on airline personnel strikes as "extraordinary circumstances"; 
• Germany: Fiscal Court decides over VAT on hotel vouchers; 
• UK: Hotel owner fined in fire safety trial; 
• IHRB roundtable on Tourism Industry and Human Rights in London; 
• USA: DOT issues guidance on aviation consumer information-related requirements; 
• UK: OFT fines British Airways in fuel surcharges price-fixing case; 
• Canada: Supreme Court decides on jurisdiciton over foreign companies; 
• New proposals to address crimes at sea; 
• EU: Open Consultation on the European Tourism Label for Quality Systems Initiative; 
• EU: Public consultation on a review of EU passenger ship safety legislation; 
• EU Parliament gives green light to air passenger data deal with the US; 
• ECJ Advocate General Bot: compensation for denied boarding not limited to overbooking; 
• German Supreme Court decides on organizer's liability for changing flight departure time; 

  
   

New on IFTTA News

• USA: DHS report says X-ray scanners at airports are safe;
  
• ECJ Advocate General: air ticket pricing rules regarding ‘optional price supplements’ also apply to a cancellation insurance;
  
• USA: Appelate court affirms foreign nationals' standing to challenge a "no-fly list" inclusion;
  
• European Union: Parliamentary Transport and Tourism Committee calls for improved air passenger rights;
  
• ECJ to hear cases challenging its "Sturgeon" judgement;
  
• European Union: Public consultation of stakeholders on the "European Charter for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism";
  
• European Court of Justice: insolvency protection also applies in case of a package organiser’s fraudulent conduct;
  
• "Reviews you can trust" - UK Advertising Standards Authority finds TripAdvisor ads misleading;
  
• USA: Appelate court confirms limitation of liability clauses in airline's "Conditions of Carriage";
  
• Germany: new reference for ECJ preliminary ruling regarding Reg. 261/2004;
  
• EU Transport Commissioner receives commitment from Cruise industry to fully engage in review of passenger ship safety rules;
  
• Canada: body height is not a disability;
  
• UNESCO: cruise ships should steer clear of Venice lagoon;
  

IFTTA Europe Workshop 2012 - Rostock

The 5th IFTTA Europe Workshop will take place in Rostock, Germany, April 17-20, 2012. International experts from several countries will discuss current legal issues of the travel and tourism industry and exchange experience.

The main topics are:

- The proposal for a new Package Travel Directive
- New developments in EU passengers' rights
- Enforcement of Travel Law
- National reports on recent developments in Travel and Tourism Law.

For detailed information and registration please see here>>;.

Recent IFTTA News Postings

• Germany: appellate court upholds denial of injunction against hotel review website;
  
• USA: DOT fines Spirit Airlines over handling of disability complaints and Finnair for violating price advertising rules;
  
• USA: Costa Concordia victims sue for USD 460 milion in Florida;
• European Economic and Social Committee publishes opinion on the ‘functioning and application of air passenger rights';
• USA: New York law firms file class action against Costa;
  
• Canada: change in airline pet policies ordered by CTA;
• European Union: Costa Concordia accident and Commission review of passenger ship safety legislation;
  
• Austria: tour organiser not liable for costs of extended stay caused by flight cancellation due to the ash cloud crisis;
  
• Germany: railway company liable for black ice accident on platform;
  
• USA: deplaned passenger's complaint fails to state a viable cause of action under the Montreal Convention;
  
• Austrian Supreme Court: no liability of the tour operator for rare injury caused by narrow seating in a coach;
  

New postings on IFTTA News

• European Council decides on accession of the European Union to the Athens Protocol;
• Austria: Supreme Court decides on innkeeper's liability with regard to theft from hotel garage;
• USA: DOT fines AirTran for deceptive price advertising;
• European Economic and Social Committee: opinion on tourism in Europe published;
• USA: man who helped to stop "underwear bomber" sues for USD 10 million;
• IFTTA Law Review 3-2011 now available;
• European Court of Justice: The directive including aviation activities in the EU’s emissions trading scheme is valid;
• Australia: Quantas succeeds against registration of "Flying Kangaroo" wines;
• USA: District Court upholds fine for traveler to Cuba who did not answer OFAC queries;
• European Union: Commission starts public consultation on the possible revision of the air passenger rights Regulation;
• Austria: new reference for ECJ preliminary ruling regarding rail passenger rights;
• U.S. Court of Appeals: violation of a government regulation no prerequisite to a claim under Article 17 Montreal Convention;
• EU Commission announces "Better Airports" package;