21.2.2009

Official Journal of the European Union

C 44/20

(Case C-549/07)

(Carriage by air - Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 - Article 5 - Compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of cancellation of flights - Exemption from the obligation to pay compensation - Cancellation due to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken)

(2009/C 44/34)

Language of the case: German

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: Friederike Wallentin-Hermann

Defendant: Alitalia — Linee Aeree Italiane SpA

Re:

Reference for a preliminary ruling — Handelsgericht Wien — Interpretation of Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 295/91 (OJ 2004 L 46, p. 1) — Concepts of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ and ‘reasonable measures’ — Cancellation of a flight on account of an engine defect — Substantially higher rate of cancellations due to technical defects than that of other airlines

Operative part of the judgment

1.Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 295/91, must be interpreted as meaning that a technical problem in an aircraft which leads to the cancellation of a flight is not covered by the concept of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ within the meaning of that provision, unless that problem stems from events which, by their nature or origin, are not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of the air carrier concerned and are beyond its actual control. The Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, concluded in Montreal on 28 May 1999, is not decisive for the interpretation of the grounds of exemption under Article 5(3) of Regulation No 261/2004.

2.The frequency of the technical problems experienced by an air carrier is not in itself a factor from which the presence or absence of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ within the meaning of Article 5(3) of Regulation 261/2004 can be concluded.

3.The fact that an air carrier has complied with the minimum rules on maintenance of an aircraft cannot in itself suffice to establish that that carrier has taken ‘all reasonable measures’ within the meaning of Article 5(3) of Regulation No 261/2004 and, therefore, to relieve that carrier of its obligation to pay compensation provided for by Articles 5(1)(c) and 7(1) of that regulation.

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(1) OJ C 64, 8.3.2008.