By / MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 
In recent years, low-cost airlines have been entering Taiwan, making overseas travel no longer out of reach. However, due to differences in ticket sales models and usage restrictions between low-cost carriers and traditional airlines, many consumer disputes have often arisen. Currently, the most common types of low-cost airline consumer disputes involve ticket refunds, changes, and duplicate charges caused by booking system errors. To effectively reduce such disputes, the Civil Aviation Administration recently invited low-cost airlines to discuss improvements for frequently occurring issues. Following negotiations, the following restrictions have been relaxed.

◎ Airlines should promptly notify passengers who have made reservations if there are any changes or cancellations to flight schedules, and must ensure that notification messages (such as SMS or email) are successfully sent.
◎ In the event of flight suspensions, airlines should simultaneously establish measures for ticket refunds and changes, such as options for rebooking, transferring to other flights, and refund policies, and should proactively announce and notify affected passengers. Additionally, while regulations stipulate that ticket refund processing must not exceed three months, extensions may be granted for justified reasons, though the total period must not exceed six months.
◎ During promotional campaigns for discounted airfares, a surge in online bookings can lead to issues such as consumers being unable to access the booking system or experiencing abnormal charges during ticket purchases. To avoid such consumer disputes, airlines should conduct system stress tests in advance to evaluate whether additional internet bandwidth is needed. For situations involving network errors or duplicate charges, airlines should develop relevant contingency response mechanisms (such as preventive checks and refund methods), proactively announce the handling procedures, assist passengers, and keep processing times as short as possible.

◎ In the event of special circumstances such as system outages or flight cancellations during promotional periods, which result in a large number of consumer disputes, airlines should not only increase the number of customer service personnel to help resolve disputes but should also implement other support measures (such as allowing passengers to leave contact information via web forms or phone messages, then having the airline follow up, extending service hours, or utilizing support from the head office's customer service resources), in order to respond to inquiries and provide assistance.
◎ If an outbreak of an epidemic (such as MERS) or a terrorist attack occurs at a flight destination—posing objective risks and resulting in travel conditions differing from what passengers expected when booking—it could affect passengers’ willingness to fly or travel. Airlines are urged to take into account passengers' needs for reducing travel risks and to flexibly relax ticket refund and change restrictions.
 
Additionally, the Civil Aviation Administration reminds passengers once again that discounted tickets sold by low-cost airlines generally have stricter restrictions than those of traditional airlines in terms of refunds, changes, validity periods, and checked baggage allowances. Consumers must carefully read the ticket usage rules before purchasing. Without a full understanding in advance, any changes to travel plans may incur unexpected additional costs, potentially leading to consumer disputes.

※ In the event of consumer disputes, besides filing complaints with local government consumer protection officers, you can also contact the Civil Aviation Administration’s complaint channels (toll-free number 0800-211-798 and email gencaa@mail.caa.gov.tw) for assistance from dedicated staff.
 

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