37. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets and perform the role play given below . Air Travelers Given Right to Compensation

Air travelers whose flights (1) _______________________ (to delay, overbook or cancel) will be legally entitled to generous levels of compensation following a landmark European Union deal. But the pact between European Parliament and EU governments drew howls of protest from low-cost airlines yesterday. They claimed the deal (2) __________________ (to force) air fares up and argued the rules (3) ________________ (to be) discriminatory.

Under the deal, passengers will, for the first time, be legally entitled to compensation if their flight (4) ________________ (to cancel). Compensation amounts (5) ________________ (to vary) between £175 for short flights and £420 for long trips. Passengers also (6) _________________ (to offer) a full refund for their ticket. The same level of compensation also (7) ________________ (to give) to travelers who (8) ________________ (to bump) off flights which (9) _________________ (to overbook). This is more than twice the current levels of compensation for overbooking.

Low-cost air-lines had wanted compensation levels (10) ________________ (to link) to the price of the original ticket. They are concerned that the compensation (11) ________________ (to be) more than the price of the original ticket. However, their intense lobbying efforts fell on deaf ears and some airlines claimed last night the new rules (12) __________________ (to hit) them hard.

“Of course this will put up fares,” said an EasyJet spokesman. “If you are on a cancelled £37 flight to Belfast and the airline has to pay you £175, ultimately the cost of the fine (13) ________________ (to push) on passengers. Who else (14) ________________ (to pay) for it?”

Virgin Express agreed that low-fare airlines (15) ________________ (to discriminate) against. “The principle is unfair,” said a Virgin Express spokesman. “The goal of the regulation is very worthy but it (16) ________________ (can/do) in a better way. A system where compensation (17) ________________ (to link) to the ticket price (18) ________________ (to be) much fairer.”

The Consumers’ Association poured cold water on the claims but accepted the impact on the low-cost sector (19) ________________ (to have/to keep) under review. “Any claim by airlines that changes of this sort (20) __________________ (to put up) fares has (21) _________________ (to treat) with some skepticism,” said Phil Evans, the organization’s principal policy adviser. “However, given the importance of the low-cost sector in the UK, anything that undermines its competitiveness (22) ________________ (to be) a concern.”

Under the new rules airlines will also be legally obliged to offer passengers who (23) _________________ (to suffer) delays of over five hours the choice between full reimbursement for their ticket or a return flight to their initial point of departure.

Meals, hotel and free phone calls also (24) ________________ (to have/to offer) by airlines on a sliding scale for delays between two hours and one day.

(From ‘The Guardian’ October 16, 2003, abridged)

Role play. The Consumers’ Association is holding a discussion of compensation levels air travellers could be entitled to.

Role 1. You are Phil Evans, the leader of the discussion. Introduce the problem to be discussed and outline the official point of view on the situation. Ask the participants to present their ideas. Comment on them at the end of the discussion.

Role 2. You are John Wallace, an EasyJet spokesman. Explain why you find raising compensation levels unfair.

Role 3. You are Sharon McDowel, a regular customer of EasyJet. You have a different point of view. You think compensation should vary according to the cause of a delay. If it is due to force majeure circumstances the compesation levels should remain the same. However, overbooking, being the fault of the company, should be treated differently. (Give an example: Your flight – to overbook – to miss an important meeting. If you – to arrive on time – you – not to lose a deal. Demand (insist) – the air company ... )