MANILA – Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III on Thursday urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to adopt a policy similar to the United States, which requires airlines to issue automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights.
The US policy mandates airlines to provide cash refunds without passenger requests and also includes provisions for delayed baggage refunds.
Pimentel said he believes this policy would encourage airlines to improve their services and prevent flight delays and cancellations from ruining travel experiences.
“I hope that Filipino travelers could benefit from similar passenger protections. Both local and international travelers should be reimbursed for the inconvenience caused by flight delays and cancellations,” he said in a news release.
The lawmaker cited an incident on July 19 where numerous domestic and international flights were affected due to a Microsoft system outage that caused disruptions in airline operations globally, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
He emphasized the need for airlines to be held accountable for flight and luggage delays, considering it a social injustice if the government fails to address these recurring problems.
“What we want to prevent is to ruin what should be a good and pleasant experience, travel, or vacation, by making these airlines accountable and ensuring that passengers get a refund without delay,” he said.
Based on the new policy issued by the US Department of Transportation, travelers can now easily receive automatic refunds if they opt not to take a rebooked flight due to significant disruptions, making the refund process much more hassle-free. (PNA)