Welcome change: Prior to the amendments, airlines were only required to provide travellers with food, phone calls, Internet access, accommodation and transport from between the hotel and airport, for flights delayed more than five hours. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Passengers on the cancelled Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Seoul, South Korea, will be entitled for a refund as amendments to aviation laws have already kicked in, says the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom).
Mavcom director (consumer and public affairs) Pushpalatha Subramaniam said the latest amendments to Mavcom’s Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code (MACPC) 2016 stated that passengers will be entitled for a refund if their flights are rescheduled or retimed more than three hours from the original time.
“Consumers have a choice whether they want to continue the journey or get a refund,” she told at a press conference at Mavcom’s office here yesterday.
Pushpalatha said the refund must be given according to the original mode of payment.
“If they (customers) paid by cash, then they will have to be refunded in cash. If it was by credit card, then by credit card, and if it was by miles, then reimbursement will be through miles.
“It all depends on the mode of payment,” she added.
The refunds must be made within 30 days from the date the complaint is submitted to airlines and if the matter remains unresolved, the consumer can submit another complaint to Mavcom.
On Sunday, flight MH66 from KLIA to Incheon International Airport had to turn back to KLIA.
This comes after several other incidents involving MAS flights. On Aug 20, MH128 to Melbourne made an emergency stop at Alice Springs, Australia. On Aug 21, MH386 to Shanghai had to return to KLIA, as did flight MH152 to Madinah on Aug 22.
Another amendment to the MACPC states that airlines must provide full refunds to passengers of flights delayed for at least five hours or more, and refunds for flights disrupted due to extraordinary circumstances like changing weather patterns.
Airlines that fail to adhere to the amended MACPC face a maximum penalty of RM200,000, which would increase ten-fold after the first offence.
Prior to the amendments, airlines were only required to provide travellers with food, phone calls, Internet access, accommodation and transport from between the hotel and airport, for flights delayed more than five hours.
Meanwhile, Pushpalatha said airfares are not expected to increase following the amendments to the MACPC as compliance is not expected to incur significant costs to airlines.
“We monitor the prices of domestic air tickets and we present this to the Transport Ministry every month,” she said.
She also said the MACPC amendments are applicable to all flight disruptions in Malaysia.
“This applies to all airlines, including foreign airlines operating in and out of Malaysia,” she added.
