Minister of Transport Ordered a Check into Overbooked Wizz Air Flights

Bulgaria’s Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski ordered an inspection into the situation with the passengers of the airline Wizz Air, due to frequent complaints about overbooked seats, the Ministry of Transport told BNT on 31^st of August. Dozens of regular passengers again got bumped from the flight to London at Sofia Airport on 31^st of August, because more seats were sold than the actual available capacity of the aircraft of the Hungarian low-cost airline.

SAFA (Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft) inspections will be carried out, which include flight safety, the technical condition of aircraft, documentation and crews. The company will also be checked for meeting its obligation to guarantee passengers' rights.

The Bulgarian authorities do not have powers to conduct a thorough check on an air carrier registered on the territory of another country.

The Chief Directorate “Civil Aviation Administration” will send an official request to the Hungarian aviation authorities which supervise Wizz Air for a thorough inspection of the airline and an explanation for the situation with the overbooked seats.

Wizz Air declined to comment and sent their written position on the issue.

In their view, consumer protection legislation allows a certain number of reserved seats to be exceeded and the cases where all passengers appear are a precedent. In such a situation, a local airline representative provides the affected passengers with information about their rights as well as about the possibilities of booking their seats on another flight.

The airline apologises to passengers and offers compensations, with children and families having priority. It also promises a pleasant stay at the airport until the next flight.