The European parliament (abbreviated as Europarl or the EP) was directly elected as parliamentary institution of the European Union [EU], combining with the council of European Union (The council) and the commission, it statutes the legislative function of the EU and it has been considered as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. European parliament has its elections every five years by universal suffrage since 1979.
This European parliament and along with the European council established common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding, cancellation and long delay of flights.
This regulation named [EC] 261 of 2004 of the European Parliament and of the council of 11 February 2004 established the common rules as stated and repealing regulation (EEC) No 295/91 of 4th February 1991, which establishes common rules for denied boarding compensation system in a scheduled air transport and raising the standards of protection in a liberalized market.
The common rules of this legislation, applies to flights leaving airports in European countries, as well as flights to European countries on European Union based airlines.
1. APPLICABILITY
The regulation EC 261/2004 is applied to any passenger, who departs from an airport located in the territory of a member state to which the treaty is applied for the protection accorded to passengers departing from or to an airport located in a member state, or an airport located in a third country for one situated in a member state.
It is applied to passengers departing from an EU member state, or travelling to an EU member state or an airline based in an EU member state, if at all that passenger has confirmed reservation on the flight, and the passenger arrived in time for the check-in as indicated on the ticket or
