EU Commission weighs action against subcontracted low-cost flights

Brussels – The European Commission is considering intervention in the low-cost airline sector, where growing deregulation, including subcontracted flights and undeclared employment terms, has sparked a parliamentary question. The phenomenon known as “wet leasing” involves airliners operating in the EU “systematically subcontracting flights during peak months (particularly in the summer) to low-cost carriers,” the Socialists denounce. Behind this practice are “false self-employment contracts and ambiguous labour agreements which circumvent national legislation and violate European social and labour protection standards.”

The issue is known, assures the Commissioner for Transport, Apostolos Tzitzikostas. “The Commission is aware of concerns about labour practices such as false self-employment or those that undermine social or labour standards.” It does not intend to stand idly by even if the matter falls under national jurisdiction. “It is for Member States’ authorities to enforce the applicable laws for aircrews operating in their jurisdiction,” the Commissioner said. However,  in the context of the review of the Regulation on Rules for the Provision of Air Services, “the Commission is looking at possible
measures to support the enforcement of applicable labour law, including in the case of wet lease.“

The EU executive, therefore, intends to revisit a practice that,  nonetheless, is permitted within the European Union. An airline may grant others the task of organizing the air transfer, provided it is specified with the name of the operator carrying out the flight. A “common practice to increase operational flexibility,” Tzitzikostas admits.  “Updated information on levels of wet leasing will be gathered to support the impact assessment for the review of Regulation 1008/20083,” he pledged.