The Associated Press Wednesday, July 11, 2007 ATHENS, Greece: Greece plans to introduce a bill of rights that would allow inconvenienced ship passengers to demand compensation from ferry companies, the government said Wednesday.
Legislation providing for a "passenger bill of rights" would be introduced in parliament in coming days, Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyiannis said, and would take effect by month's end — just in time for Greece's peak tourist season.
The provisions would apply to ferry and hydroplane passengers.
The bill of rights, modeled after established programs for air travelers, would grant passengers the right to claim compensation — including money and free accommodation — from coastal shipping companies for delayed or canceled boat trips and also for poor service.
The legislation would also require every passenger ship to have a medical doctor aboard.
Kefaloyiannis, who met Wednesday with Prime Minister Coastas Karamanlis, said companies could face fines of up to €500,000 (US$687,100) if found to be in breach of the new rules. He also announced new investments for upgrading 11 ports around the country
Greece expects more than 16 million visitors this year, and Kefaloyiannis said up to 7 million Greek and foreign tourists are expected to travel this summer by ship to island destinations from the three ports near Athens.
The largest of these, Piraeus, is chronically choked with passenger traffic in the summer months, while departures are frequently delayed because of tight scheduling and spotty ship maintenance.
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