Travel

High Flight Ticket Change and Refund Fees Spark Complaints During Spring Festival

According to the provided Chinese tweets, many netizens are complaining about the high fees for flight ticket changes and refunds during the Spring Festival period. Many passengers claim that the fees are disproportionate to the actual cost of the ticket, forcing them to either miss their flights or accept the hefty fees.

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5 February 2024

Airlines have recently adjusted their ticket refund and change policies, including expanding the range of ticket refunds and changes for free, and loosening the rules for refunds due to illness. These changes have received widespread attention in society.

Passengers have long criticized the difficulty and cost of changing and refunding airline tickets. However, the introduction of new rules has not completely solved this problem. Many passengers still find it difficult to change or refund their tickets for free.

For example, a user said that the airline refunded only one yuan for a ticket that cost 1300 yuan, while another user said that the airline charged 1220 yuan for a ticket refund.

Airlines have not disclosed the specific conditions for free ticket refunds, which has caused passengers to feel that the refund conditions are vague and unfair.

The Chinese government regulates the maximum allowable price for ticket refunds. Under this regulation, domestic airlines are not allowed to charge for ticket refunds beyond 10 percent of the original ticket price, and international airlines are not allowed to charge more than 30 percent. However, many Chinese users feel that the refund fees charged by airlines still disproportionately outweigh the actual cost.

Airline ticket refund rules are not set unilaterally by the airlines themselves, but are regulated by industry associations and government agencies. Airlines, as well as industry associations and government agencies, should work together to improve ticket refund rules and better protect consumers' rights.

Netizens also believe that airlines should make their ticket refund rules clearer and more transparent to passengers. Airlines should also provide more options for passengers who need to change or refund their tickets.

In summary, Chinese netizens are complaining about the high fees for flight ticket changes and refunds during the Spring Festival period. New rules have been introduced to address these complaints, but many passengers still find it difficult to change or refund their tickets for free.

Netizens believe that airlines should make their ticket refund rules clearer and more transparent to passengers. Airlines should also provide more options for passengers who need to change or refund their tickets, and work together with industry associations and government agencies to improve ticket refund rules and better protect consumers' rights.