Budget airlines have become an option for air travelers who are minded to save money. However, they should be aware of the service charges on top of the ticket fee.
The Consumer Council received 167 complaints involving services of budget airlines last year, a 193% increase compared to the 57 cases recorded the year before. Most of the complaints were related to the online booking system, charges and service quality.
This is one of the complaints, Mr. Chan purchased online from a budget airline an air ticket for a flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai. Later, a message on mobile phone informed him of the cancellation of the flight. Mr. Chan called the airline hotline requesting compensation for the cancellation but got refused. He then asked for refund of the unused ticket. He was dismayed by the airline's answer that it would take 2 to 6 months to handle the refund, and an administrative fee of HK$60 charged during the purchase of the ticket would not be returned. Mr. Chan was displeased as well, by the fact that the airline had not set out clearly the fees he was going to be charged when he made the booking.
In order to reduce the operational cost, budget airlines would unbundle their fares and services such as counter reservation, baggage delivery and in-flight catering would have price tags on them. Those fees are collected on the "users pay" principle, and such an arrangement often become the source of fee disputes between consumers and the airlines.
A review conducted by the Council in January this year on the websites of some of the budget airlines providing services in Hong Kong reveals the following.
Some budget airlines would charge checked baggage of any weight. For airlines which offer free baggage service, the maximum weights range from 15kg to 23kg. Overweight baggage will be charged by the excess of weight (per kg) or for a fixed amount on each piece of baggage.
Budget airfares do not include in-flight catering services. Consumers who wish to take in-flight meals are advised to book the meals when purchasing the air tickets online. This would cost them less than they do on the plane.
Upon purchase of an air ticket from a budget airline, a passenger will be automatically allocated a seat. Consumers have to pay additional fees for seats with extra leg room, seats on the front row or window seats.
In case of delay or cancellation of flights, the budget airlines will transfer the passengers to the next available flight without additional charge, or it will offer a full refund of the unused ticket. But they will not make any arrangement for passengers to take other airlines' flights instead. Consumers may have to bear the additional costs arising from the delay or cancellation, such as expenses on accommodation, meals, long distance calls or transportation to and from the airport.
Consumers are advised to read the terms and conditions of the budget airlines carefully, especially those relating to the arrangements in the event of flight delay or cancellation, when making their choice.
The February issue of CHOICE magazine (No. 436) provides the following useful tips to consumers choosing budget airlines:
- Check and compare the reputation of different budget airlines before making a purchase.
- Budget airlines would adjust the rates of airfares from time to time, or they occasionally offer tickets at highly attractive discounts. However, the discounts may not apply to the return flights. Consumers are advised to take into account the fares of the departure and return flights and all the costs associated with the flights when making price comparison.
- Most budget airlines sell their tickets online and the airfares may be charged in foreign currencies. Consumers are advised to check the currency used when using credit cards for the purchase.
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- 2013.02.18