Consumer Council｜There are many traps in booking air tickets online! No compensation if the flight is canceled without reason? I haven’t received the refund after waiting for 3 months?The Consumer Council reminds you to pay attention to 5 details
After various countries cleared customs last year, Hong Kong people have been traveling abroad one after another. Booking air tickets online is not only fast and convenient, but also has a better chance of being cheaper than the official website if purchased through certain travel agents. But I believe many of my friends have had their flights canceled or delayed due to weather conditions. But how can I get compensation, refunds or changes when booking tickets online? I believe many people may not know this. The Consumer Council has recently received a lot of complaints about online ticket bookings, including flights being canceled without reason and the refund period being too long. As a consumer, what terms and details should you pay attention to before booking a flight?
Case 1: Can “Flexible Package” be rescheduled for free? In the end, I paid nearly a thousand yuan more!
The complainant purchased two round-trip tickets from Hong Kong to Tokyo through the website of Airline A. However, the complainant was worried that her husband might not be able to depart as scheduled due to work commitments, so she purchased a “Flexible Package” to enjoy three free flight changes. Date and time of service. Two weeks before the final departure, the complainant needed to postpone his departure to Tokyo, so he contacted the airline and asked to postpone his departure for two days. The airline replied that each passenger would have to pay an additional $920 to change the time. The complainant discovered that the “Flexible Package” was not as described on the official website and allowed three free flight date changes.
Later, the airline contacted the complainant and told him that other passengers had canceled their tickets, so they could change the complainant’s departure date at a lower price of $430. The complainant had no choice but to pay an additional $860 for the change. The complainant went to the Consumer Council for help because he felt that Airline A’s information was misleading.
Later, the platform responded to the Consumer Council and pointed out that “three free changes to dates and flights” means that rescheduling fees are waived, but the air ticket price difference, taxes and other fees must still be compensated. Moreover, the complainant was upgraded from the original economy class N to economy class M, so he had to pay a total fare difference of $860.
Can “Flexible Package” be rescheduled for free?In the end, I paid nearly a thousand yuan more (Getty Images)
Case 2: The seat was canceled without reason and the new flight was delayed for 23 hours! If there is no compensation, I have to pay an additional $5,000?
The complainant had earlier purchased a flight ticket from Hong Kong to Toronto via Vancouver through Airline B. Later, the complainant discovered that the airline canceled his seat without reason and changed it to another flight 23 hours later without the complainant’s consent. The complainant immediately called the airline to find out. At that time, the staff did not provide any explanation. They only suggested that the complainant could pay an extra $5,000 to retain the original flight and seat. The complainant finally refused the arrangement and asked Airline B to compensate for one night’s accommodation and free upgrade to business class. However, the airline refused the request at that time and only suggested that the complainant stay at the airport for 23 hours to take another flight, or pay $5,000. Go and keep your original flight.
The complainant later checked Airline B’s terms and conditions and found that if the flight was delayed for 9 hours or more, each passenger would receive $1,000 Canadian dollars in compensation, so he complained to the Consumer Council. After the Consumer Council intervened, Airline B was finally willing to compensate.
Seats were canceled without reason and new flights were delayed for 23 hours! If there is no compensation, then ask for an additional payment of $5,000? (Getty Images)
Case 3: Travel agents and airlines have been quarreling with each other for more than 3 months without receiving a refund.
The complainant purchased 5 round-trip tickets from Hong Kong to Belgium through travel agency C. However, 5 days before departure, travel agency C informed the complainant that the original flight was cancelled, and the new flight would have to be postponed for five days. The complainant did not accept the arrangement at that time and asked the travel agent to change to another flight departing on the same day. However, the travel agent stated that there were no other flights departing on the same day and suggested a direct refund. In the end, the complainant chose to arrange a refund.
Afterwards, travel agent C kept delaying the refund on the grounds that the airline refused to refund, causing the complainant to wait for more than three months and still not receive the refund. At the same time, because the travel agent did not explain the reason for the canceled flight, the complainant was unable to apply for compensation from the insurance company. The complainant also contacted the airline directly at that time. The staff said that since the ticket was not purchased from the airline, they refused to reply further. Finally, the complainant asked the Consumer Council for help.
After being referred to the Tourism Authority by the Consumer Council, the airline refunded the money to travel agent C, and the travel agent also refunded the money to the complainant.
Travel agents and airlines have been blaming each other for more than 3 months without receiving refunds. (Getty Images)
Consumers may refer to the following Consumer Council tips when booking air tickets:
Terms should be read carefully before booking. If there is a possibility of changing or canceling your ticket, you should pay special attention to all the terms and conditions. Even for the same type of cabin, there may be different cabin codes and different change and refund terms. Even if some air tickets can be refunded, agents and airlines may charge handling fees. Also pay attention to the refund time, which may take 3 to 6 months to apply.
Flights may be subject to changes according to airline arrangements, such as time and route. Everyone should pay more attention to whether they have received flight change notifications before departure, and check the airline’s website regularly for the latest flight information.
For tickets purchased through an agent or booking platform, the agent or booking platform will be responsible for any changes and refunds.
Everyone should pay attention to the difference between traditional airlines and low-cost airlines. In the former, some services are included in the ticket price, such as on-board meals and luggage. On the other hand, tickets on low-cost airlines generally only include seat and carry-on luggage, and other services require additional charges.
In recent years, traditional airlines have launched different types of air tickets. You should pay more attention to the terms and details before making a purchase.
When booking flights online, be sure to pay attention to the terms and conditions (Getty Images)
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2023-11-15 03:33:45
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