AIRLINES must be made to honour their new obligations to compensate customers for cancelled or delayed flights, says consumer magazine Holiday Which?

The law that came into force earlier this year, the EU Regulation on Denied Boarding, makes passengers' positions stronger than ever if there are problems with their flight. For example, people are now clearly entitled to food, drink, and free phone calls to let people know they're delayed.

There are teething problems with the new law, though: airlines including Ryanair, Jet2.com and Thomsonfly have claimed the rules on delays and cancellations don't always apply on board their flights.

Ryanair in particular has openly indicated it doesn't approve of the terms of the new regulation and has said it won't always provide assistance. The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the Irish airline following complaints from passengers.

Holiday Which? believes these airlines are simply trying to find a legal loophole to avoid paying out to their customers, and that the authorities need to clamp down now, before more jump on the bandwagon.

Bob Tolliday, Holiday Which?, said: "We're glad passengers flying in the EU have more rights, but it's too early to judge how successful the law will be in practice.

"It can only really work, of course, if airlines comply, which is why it's so important that they don't get away with ducking their responsibilities. "We'd like Ryanair to set a good example by publicly committing to honouring the terms of the regulation. If it continues to flout the new law, the Irish regulator should get tough."

The article -Flights - Your Rights' appears in full in the Autumn 2005 issue of Holiday Which?