EU commission sticks to cash refunds for cancelled trips

"Commission Reynders and I want to ensure that people's right to be reimbursed for their cancelled trips is respected," Valean said.

"Member states are primarily responsible for implementing EU legislation," she added.

Recently 15 member states asked the EU executive to temporarily suspend cash refund rules, and instead allow for a voucher-only option - as airlines have been bleeding revenues due to the pandemic.

Valean said that, for now, the commission is not starting so-called infringement procedures against member states which are not enforcing EU rules on passengers' rights.

"I really hope, because we are all in a crisis together, that very soon all these problems will be solved by member states. It is up to them to make the their companies apply the law. If this will not be the case, of course, we will have infringements, probably very soon," Valean said.

EU officials, however, said earlier that around a dozen member states are already in breach of EU rules regarding compensation to passengers.

There was confusion about the legal probes, as earlier on Wednesday, commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said the proceedings have been launched - but later withdrew that.

Infringement procedures take years to conclude, so it would not mean immediate help for those who hope to receive cash reimbursements soon.

The commission on Wednesday published recommendations to EU countries on how to make vouchers more attractive for consumers.

These include having EU governments set up schemes protecting vouchers against insolvency, make the vouchers valid for any services the operator offers, increasing the time frame for vouchers to a minimum of one year, and making them transferable.

Cash refunds are also guaranteed by EU rules in case of package trips.

"The starting point is that EU consumers have a right to a cash refund if that is what the want. Full stop," Vestager said.

"Many companies have come under pressure. This liquidity crunch would be less severe if customers adopted vouchers instead of cash refunds," the Danish politician however noted.

Airlines have asked for over €30bn in state aid, over €12bn of which had been agreed, according to the Transport & Environment, an NGO campaigning for cleaner transport.

The commission said there has been an approximate 90 percent decrease in air traffic compared to a year ago.

The executive also pointed out that travel and tourism sectors in the bloc reported a reduction of bookings in the range of 60 percent to 90 percent compared to the same period last year.

The commission also warned that if "organisers or carriers become insolvent, there is a risk that many travellers and passengers would not receive any refund at all".