Blue Air was fined by ANPC with 2 million EURO! Passengers affected by canceled flights could receive their money back in a maximum of 10 days!

The National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) announced that it has fined Blue Air with 2 million euros, the largest fine granted so far by the authority. ANPC started a control action last month, after almost 1.000 complaints were registered against the company.

"Taking into account the aspects found after the verifications and the non-existence of the declared turnover of the economic operator, which made it impossible setting a fine as a percentage, The Commission has decided to apply a fines for a fine of EUR 2 million, equivalent in lei at the exchange rate of the National Bank of Romania, on July 12, 2022, 9,88 million lei, in accordance with the provisions of art.15 (2) from Law no. 363/2007 on combating consumer misconduct in relation to consumers and harmonizing regulations with European consumer protection legislation, as subsequently amended and supplemented", Is shown in an ANPC communiqué, taken over by Economica.net!

ANPC shows that, between April 30, 2021 and April 30, 2022, Blue Air canceled 11.289 flights, corresponding to them 178.405 reservations for which payments were made in the total amount of 66.5 million lei, by consumers in 20 Member States of the European Union, in which the airline subject to the checks operates regular flights.

ANPC ordered as a complementary sanction the remedial measure provided in art. 12 para. (1) lit. a) of Law 363/2007, namely ,,… termination of the contract and reimbursement of the value of the canceled services and the related compensations within a maximum of 10 days”In compliance with the consumers' option and in relation to all canceled reservations and for which the economic operator did not proceed to the proper refund of the amounts due, including compensation, following the cancellation of flights after 30 April 2022.

At the same time, ANPC ordered the measure to no longer make available to consumers, on the market, flight offers for which the economic operator does not have the equipment / means / resources necessary to perform them, in compliance with the declared conditions and characteristics.

"Considering that the deviations found concern both Romanian and EU consumers, ANPC, through the General Directorate for Market Surveillance Control and European Harmonization, sent an alert to the European Commission and the ANPC counterpart authorities, from the other Member States, requesting verification , at European level of similar violations of legislation, other than those complained to ANPC, or if measures have already been taken to ensure compliance with EU law against such violations of Blue Air Aviaton SA", Shows the institution.

The economic operators will continue to remain in the attention of ANPC, and the fulfillment of the ordered measures, of restitution of the amounts, as well as of cessation of the incorrect commercial practices, will be verified by the commissioners, after the end of the 10 days, provided by law.