It came as a dozen EU countries called on Brussels to suspend a European law guaranteeing passengers a refund for cancelled flights.
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One of the co-authors of the EU’s legislation on passenger rights says the failure to provide ticket refunds for flights cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic is “completely unacceptable”.
Former MEP Mark Watts is the coordinator of UK Transport in Europe. He helped write the legislation that requires airlines to offer refunds within seven days.
“I’m very concerned because what this is is an attempt to make the passengers pay for the bailout,” Watts told Euronews Tonight.
“It’s completely unacceptable. This is the passengers’ money that they’ve put into a ticket for a flight that didn’t take place.
"They are entitled to their money back, there should be no discussion.
”Of course action has to be taken to save airlines and I think member states of the EU have to step up the plate and intervene directly and they should be bold and brave enough to do that but they shouldn’t make citizens given up their hard-earned savings to bail out the airlines,” he said.
Watch the interview with Mark Watts in the video player above.