KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Anthony Loke's announcement that airlines must offer full refunds for flight delays of five hours or more has drawn mixed reactions from netizens, with many calling for clearer guidelines and additional compensation.
Loke, in a press conference today (Aug 28), said passengers would have the option to cancel their journey and receive a refund through their original mode of payment.
This policy was part of the Malaysian Aviation Commission's (Mavcom) efforts to enhance the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC), aiming to provide better protection for air travellers.
However, the announcement has led to several questions and concerns from netizens.
Facebook user Ben Lau CK questioned the criteria for the refund.
"Define what a five hour delay means first, or else it will be manipulated," he said.
This sentiment was echoed by Lee Meng Onn, who argued that refunds should also include compensation.
"Not Enough! We still have to re-book another flight which will be more expensive and also incurred additional costs.
"Refund and compensation please."
Another user, Chan Kong Art suggested that authorities should impose penalties on airlines for the inconvenience caused to customers.
"You are just refunding my money. No punishment to the airline," he said.
Jonathan Choong supported this view, suggesting that the refund should be at least 1.5 times the value of the ticket to account for the inconvenience and the need to book a new ticket at a higher price.
Scepticism about the effectiveness of the new policy was also expressed by DrRyth MB, who doubted the efficiency of the refund process.
"Refund procedure and process will take five months... or may never. Changing a re-timed flight process also keeps us waiting for more than an hour online," he said.
Meanwhile, Jeevin Sandhu pointed out the issue of delays shorter than five hours, suggesting that even a one-hour delay should warrant compensation.
"Will the aeroplane wait for me if I am one hour late?" he asked.
Earlier in a press conference, Loke said the new regulations would apply to both refundable and non-refundable tickets, covering fuel surcharges, taxes, fees, and charges such as departure levies and Passenger Service Charges.
This rule applies to flights that were not used due to delays or cancellations.
He also said that for disruptions caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as bad weather, airlines would be required to offer refunds in the original payment mode.
Customers, he said, had the right to choose their preferred refund method.
Furthermore, he added the updated MACPC regulations would require airlines to remove all cancelled flights from booking systems, including those of online and offline travel agencies.
Any changes to the Scheduled Departure Time (STD) must be communicated to customers at least two weeks before the departure, except in cases of extraordinary circumstances or unavoidable technical issues.