Service for Brussels Airlines passengers
Brussels Airlines tries to offer its passengers the best possible service. The quality of our service is very important to us. In order to be able to assist you as effectively as possible, Brussels Airlines supports the 14 points of the Service Declaration to passengers, which has been prepared and signed by most European airlines.
List of the 14 points of the Service Declaration for air travellers:
Signatory Airlines agree to:
1. Signatory Airlines agree to offer the Lowest Fare Available through each of its Direct Outlets
a. Each airline will offer the lowest appropriate fare available for which the passenger is eligible through its own telephone reservation system, through its own website and through its own ticket offices for the date, flight and class of service requested.
b. Each airline will inform passengers that different fares may be available through these different outlets.
c. Each airline will inform the passenger about the terms and conditions which apply to the fare chosen and any applicable taxes, fees and charges.
2. Signatory Airlines agree to honour the Agreed Fare After Payment
After payment for the ticket has been made, no fare increase will apply for the date, flight and class of service booked. However, any change in taxes, fees and charges will be subject to additional payment or refund.
3. Signatory Airlines agree to notify Passengers of Known Delays, Cancellations and Diversions
Each airline will notify passengers at the airport and on board an affected aircraft, as soon as possible, of the best available information regarding known delays, cancellations and diversions.
4. Signatory Airlines agree to assist Passengers Facing Delays
a. Each airline will provide appropriate assistance, for example refreshments, meals, accommodation, to its passengers facing delays beyond two hours* provided that local conditions allow for such assistance to be delivered. This assistance may not apply in situations involving political unrest or long strikes in essential services or other exceptional circumstances beyond the airline's control. Also, assistance may not be provided if to do so would further delay departure.
* The assistance given to delayed passengers on an inclusive tour package flight will be in accordance with the published policy of the tour organiser.
b. The assistance described in paragraph 4a may not be offered on routes operated under public service obligations in accordance with the policy of the authority defining the obligation or when weather causes disruption on routes on which the regularity of operations is significantly affected by weather conditions or on routes of less than 300 km serving remote airports operated by aircraft with fewer than 80 seats.
c. Each airline will produce a clear and concise statement of its policy, which will be made available to its passengers. This will include a list of routes on which any exceptions apply.
5. Signatory Airlines agree to deliver Baggage as Quickly as Possible
Each airline will make every reasonable effort to deliver all checked baggage to the Arrivals Hall area as quickly as possible. In the case of mishandled checked bags, each airline will make every reasonable effort to deliver the mishandled bag to the passenger within 24 hours of its arrival at final destination, free of charge. Immediate assistance sufficient to meet the reasonable short-term needs of the passenger will also be offered by the airline.
6. Signatory Airlines agree to allow Telephone Reservations to be Held or Cancelled without Commitment or Penalty within 24 Hours
Subject to applicable ticketing deadlines, each airline will allow the passenger either:
i) to hold a telephone reservation made directly with the airline without payment for a minimum of 24 hours or,
ii) where the airline requires immediate payment at the time of booking, to cancel a reservation without penalty for up to 24 hours.
Passengers will be advised which reservations method applies at the time of booking.**
7. Signatory Airlines agree to ensuring prompt restitution
a. If a passenger claims and is entitled to restitution for a ticket that was purchased directly from the airline, each airline will make sure that a restitution is made within 7 workdays after the request has been accepted for processing when the purchase was made with a credit card and within 20 workdays when the purchase was made with cash or checks.
** Some leisure airlines may decide to provide this facility only until 3 days before flight departure. This offer may not apply on routes operated by aircraft with fewer than 80 seats. Any such exclusions should be notified by the airline.
b. Any taxes, fees and charges collected with the fare and shown on the ticket will be refundable where the ticket is not used. This will include non-refundable tickets and the refund will be issued within the same time limits as above.
8. Signatory Airlines agree to provide Assistance to Passengers with Reduced Mobility and Passengers with Special Needs
Each airline will publicise the services it offers for handling passengers with special needs and for assisting passengers with reduced mobility in an appropriate manner compatible with applicable safety regulations. For passengers with reduced mobility the airlines commit themselves to support the attached paper on "Meeting the Needs of People with Reduced Mobility".
9. Signatory Airlines agree to meet Passengers' Essential Needs during Long On-Aircraft delays
The airline will make every reasonable effort to provide food, water, lavatories and access to medical treatment for passengers on board an aircraft that is on the ground for an extended period of time without access to the terminal, as consistent with passenger and employee safety and security concerns.
Airlines will make every reasonable effort not to keep passengers on board in long delays.
10. Signatory Airlines agree to take Measures to Speed Up Check-in
Airlines will set reasonable check-in deadlines and in co-ordination with the airports will take appropriate steps to avoid congestion in departure areas and will take measures to speed up check-in to assist passengers to meet their check-in deadlines. These measures could include e-ticketing and automated check-in systems, self-service check-in, mobile check-in stations, off airport check-in, fast track check-in and queue combing.
11. Signatory Airlines agree to reduce the Number of Passengers Who are Involuntarily Denied Boarding
In the event of a flight at departure time having more passengers than seats available, each airline will first seek volunteers who are prepared to stand down from the flight, subject to any security and/or operational constraints at the airport concerned.
12. Signatory Airlines agree to provide Information to Passengers Regarding its Commercial and Operational Conditions
Airlines will provide their passengers with the following information relevant to their journey:
A. At the time of booking (if available):
i. Planned scheduled time of departure and arrival of the flights
ii. Airport/terminal of departure and arrival
iii. The number of en-route stops
iv. Any change of aircraft, terminal or airport
v. Any conditions attached to the fare to be paid
vi. Name of operating carrier and flight number
vii. If it is a smoking flight
In the event of substitution of operating carrier which has not previously been disclosed and which is not acceptable to the ticket holder, the passenger will be given the right to a refund or carried on the airline's next flight on which space is available in the same class.
B. With the confirmation invoice or with the ticket:
i. Confirmation of flight times
ii. Free baggage allowance and liability limits
iii. Cabin baggage allowance
If, after purchase of the ticket, the airline makes a significant change to the scheduled flight time which is not acceptable to the passenger, and the airline is unable to book the passenger on an alternate flight which is acceptable to the passenger, he/she will be entitled to a refund.
C. On request: (for the airline's own services and where available for services operated by other carriers)
i. The aircraft type scheduled to be operated on the route and seat pitch
ii. Services normally offered on board
iii. Facilities for passengers with special needs and any charge made for using them (except for passengers with reduced mobility as provided for under Article 8)
iv. Whether specific seats can be allocated or pre-booked
v. Charges for excess baggage
vi. Its Conditions of Carriage
vii. Details of frequent flyer programme, if any
viii. Assistance programs for baggage lost, damaged or delayed
ix. Details of the Airline Passenger Service Commitment and airline's own service plan.
13. Signatory Airlines agree to provide Information on Operating Carrier
In case of flights operated under a code share, franchise or long term planned lease agreements, airlines will:
i. Inform passengers of the name of the airline actually operating the flight. Passengers will be informed:
- upon reservation, whenever such reservation is made through a distribution channel under the direct control of the airlines, i.e. airlines' own offices, airlines' telephone reservation centre and airlines' own websites; and
- at the airport upon check-in.
As regards a reservation made through a channel which is not under the direct control of the airlines, i.e. travel agencies and websites other than airlines' own websites, airlines will remind travel agents and websites' operators to systematically inform passengers at the time of reservation.
ii. Make it clear through appropriate wording that the passenger's contract is with the marketing airline, i.e., the airline whose designator code appears on the flight coupon or routing slip next to the flight number.
iii. Inform passengers travelling on code shared services that the level of service may be different and the Airline Passenger Service Commitment may not apply.
14. Signatory Airlines agree to be Responsive to Passengers' Complaints
Under normal circumstances each airline will provide a substantive response to written complaints within 28 days from the date of receipt. When this does not permit sufficient time for the complaint to be properly investigated an interim response will be provided giving the reason for the delay. Each airline will designate a convenient point of passenger contact for all complaints and the address and/or phone number and departmental name of this customer service function will be provided in timetables, on websites and any other public information source and will also be available at all travel agents accredited by airlines.
