- Joined
- Dec 7, 2011
- Posts
- 660
On other forums, members seem to be getting quite excited about the US introducing a compensation system similar to the European EC261 plan, given the delays and cancellations over the festive season.
We know Americans want to fly from any point to any other point, very often via a hub, at such regularity that any weather or operational delay is likely to cause cancellations and frustration. It is almost as if they cannot read a weather forecast and assume aircraft and crew will always be there. And any airline wanting to increase their prices to cover themselves for contingencies causes a rush to the LCCs, like Southwest, who have probably been the worst affected this time.
Would Australia benefit from a similar scheme and what would we be prepared to pay for having proper compensation for operational, not even weather, delays? Would you be prepared to pay to have the airlines obligated to re-book you to any airline, provide hotel, ground transport, food and expenses for travel essentials as well as pay you compensation?
Airlines operate on minimal margins much of the time and provide a scheduled service so any additional compensation obligation, would surely increase the cost of travel. Qantas did well (from an operational and a marketing perspective) from the recent Baku diversion but there are limits to the contingencies airlines can plan for, especially as they continue to suffer from crewing, aircraft and crewing shortages.
We know Americans want to fly from any point to any other point, very often via a hub, at such regularity that any weather or operational delay is likely to cause cancellations and frustration. It is almost as if they cannot read a weather forecast and assume aircraft and crew will always be there. And any airline wanting to increase their prices to cover themselves for contingencies causes a rush to the LCCs, like Southwest, who have probably been the worst affected this time.
Would Australia benefit from a similar scheme and what would we be prepared to pay for having proper compensation for operational, not even weather, delays? Would you be prepared to pay to have the airlines obligated to re-book you to any airline, provide hotel, ground transport, food and expenses for travel essentials as well as pay you compensation?
Airlines operate on minimal margins much of the time and provide a scheduled service so any additional compensation obligation, would surely increase the cost of travel. Qantas did well (from an operational and a marketing perspective) from the recent Baku diversion but there are limits to the contingencies airlines can plan for, especially as they continue to suffer from crewing, aircraft and crewing shortages.