ECA says the EU is the only area in the world with a set of rules designed to ensure a minimum level of protection for passengers on the main modes of transport - rail, bus/coach, aviation and waterborne transport and that that passenger rights is one of the EU’s flagship policies and one of the EC’s great successes in empowering consumers.

However, there are concerns that these rights are not being implemented properly, and that with the issue only receiving limited EU funding, ensuring that these rights are implemented may entail significant costs for passengers and operators.

“EU law confers certain rights on passengers,” says Mr George Pufan, the member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the audit. “But a number of problems have become apparent since the adoption of the current legislation: inconsistencies, grey zones, and gaps in legislation, insufficient passenger awareness of their rights and variations in interpretations and enforcement.”

The audit report is expected to appear in late 2018.