Airlines must nevertheless give their customers the opportunity to get their money back if the trip is canceled due to the corona virus. They can no longer just give a voucher to make up for the trip later, the cabinet says.
This nevertheless responds to the call of the European Commission. Just yesterday, Prime Minister Rutte said that the vouchers could remain normal as far as he was concerned, because Brussels would not impose sanctions.
Today, it emerged that the Commission is indeed considering a so-called infringement procedure against Member States that allow travel organizations to give vouchers instead of money. That would mean that the Netherlands could be fined. Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen has decided to enforce it anyway, she writes in a letter to the House of Representatives.
Support airlines
At the end of March, Van Nieuwenhuizen instructed the Inspectorate to no longer maintain the rule that the travel sum must be refunded within 7 days of a canceled trip. The idea behind this was to prevent airlines from getting into financial difficulties.
She is now withdrawing that assignment to the Inspectorate, she writes to the House. At the same time, she calls on travelers to accept the vouchers, if at all possible.
KLM already announced today that affected travelers are not obliged to accept a voucher, but that they can also get their money back.
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