This was announced at a press club meeting dedicated to the protection of air passengers’ rights. It was organized by the Independent Analytical Center Expert-Grup in cooperation with the UGA and the European Consumer Center of Moldova (ECC Moldova).
The participants of the meeting stated that in Moldova the right to such compensation is regulated at the legislative level and meets international standards. In case of flight delay or cancelation, passengers can receive up to 600 euros as compensation for damages, depending on the distance of the flight and the circumstances that contributed to it. At the same time, air carriers are obliged to provide passengers with assistance (food, accommodation, transportation). And in case of loss or damage to luggage, compensation can reach 20 euros/kg.
The director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Vasile Charamet, noted the accelerated growth of the passenger traffic at the Chisinau International Airport. By the end of 2025, about 5.4 million passengers are expected to use the airport’s services.
Such an increase in the mobility of citizens leads to an increase in the number of complaints about the violation of passengers’ rights by carriers. Vasily Sharamet noted that the institution annually receives about 250-300 petitions from consumers. In addition, consumers of air services also apply for protection of their rights to the State Inspectorate for Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection, as well as directly to airlines. In recent years, the agency has helped to compensate affected passengers for damages amounting to more than 9.5 million lei.
The head of the CAA said that the agency has recently launched an information campaign to help consumers solve problems on the spot. The employees of the department will be present at the airport, will communicate with consumers and will inform them about their rights and how they can use them.
In this context, Mihaela Pascal, Director of ECC Moldova, mentioned the recent delay of more than 24 hours of a Paris-Chisinau flight operated by an airline registered in Malta. The Center supports victims in obtaining compensation, reimbursement of additional costs and reaching pre-trial agreements in accordance with Regulation No. 261/2004.
She stressed that the Center intervenes in the problem-solving procedure in cases when consumers cannot independently obtain the correct answer within the term established by law, especially if they are Moldovan citizens affected in relations with companies or traders from the European Union and vice versa.
