The manager of the International Air Transport Association (Aeether), Carlos Gutiérrez, expressed his rejection of the New approved law by the Congress of the Republic that allows the free transfer of air tickets up to 24 hours before the flight.
According to Gutierrez, although the norm establishes that the process will be completely free For usersthe administrative costs of this measure will end up being transferred to the price of tickets And, consequently, they will affect users.
In conversation with Canal Nthe representative of Aetai indicated that the endorsement of passages has a administrative cost. “Nothing is free in this life. The cost is purely administrative, it does not have the goal of profiting in a specific situation. What we see as populism is that, when issuing a rule that aims to say that something will not have cost, it is ignored that, in reality, it does not exist,” he said.
Carlos Gutiérrez warned that, although the measure seeks to benefit passengers, the Airlines will not assume this expense and will be reflected in an increase in ticket prices.
“At the end of the day, if this issue is established as” zero cost “, that cost will inevitably move to the tickets. There is no other option, because the airline will not assume it, as in any other business,” he added for the aforementioned medium.
On the other hand, the Air guild He questioned the lack of a deeper technical analysis in the creation of the law. Gutiérrez indicated that Congress legislates on the sector without the support of an adequate technical study, which could have negative consequences for the industry. “He regretted that Congress advocates regulation issues without a technical criterion,” he said.
In addition, the guild recalled that the Right to the endorsement of passages It is already contemplated in the Consumer Protection and Defense Code. This legal provision, according to Gutiérrez, makes unnecessary the creation of a new standard on the subject. “It is already in the consumer code, so a new law was not necessary,” said the Aetai manager.
Finally, the new legislation establishes sanctions for airlines that do not comply with the established period to process ticket transfers. Air companies must accept requests for change of ownership without penaltiesas long as they are carried out at least 24 hours in advance of the flight.
He Congress approved by insistence The autograph that modifies the Ley 27261, of civil aeronautics, with the aim of strengthening the rights of users of commercial air transport. The proposal obtained 100 votes in favor, an abstention and no vote against. This modification, which is based on bill 5562/2022-CR, does not require a new vote due to its character of Legislative insistencealthough it had previously been observed by the Executive power.
One of the main modifications of the law is the change in article 101 of the Civil Aeronautics Law, which will allow the passengers transfer your passage aerial To another person at no additional cost, provided that the application is made at least 24 hours before the flight and under the same contractual conditions of the original passage.
The legislative initiative also modifies the Article 125 of the Civil Aeronautics Law, imposing on airlines the obligation to enable digital channels to process endorsement procedures. In addition, companies must issue a new ticket at no additional cost in the name of the person who will receive the passage. In case of unjustified negative by the airline, it will be sanctioned by the aeronautical authority, unless the refusal is due to force majeure.
This provision aims to expand consumer rights by demanding airlines complying with minimal conditions of attention for ticket transfer requests. In addition, it establishes direct control mechanisms by the competent authorities, seeking to guarantee compliance with the regulations and protection of users.
