Airlines are really good at some things—like people movement, aircraft maintenance, and keeping passengers safe. They’re also experts at collecting vast mountains of customer data, including what sorts of credit cards and computers you use, how often you fly, and where and how much you spend on all the extras. The industry has long envisioned a day when it could make use of all that information. That data has traditionally been segregated in various IT systems, but now many airlines are gradually funnelling it into a customer service strategy. But as they probe these new capabilities, some carriers are confronting a nettlesome question: How much personal data can be used to enhance customer service before slipping into the “too much information” realm, where a traveller may feel uncomfortable? <br/>
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Major US airlines are bumping far fewer passengers from overbooked flights after a high-profile incident in April prompted the industry to reassess its practices, the US DoT reported Thursday. The govt reported the rate of involuntary bumping passengers among the 12 largest US carriers fell to 0.15 per 10,000 passengers in the 3 months ended Sept 30 - the lowest quarterly rate dating back to 1995 - and down sharply from a rate of 0.69 in the same period last year. The involuntary bumping figure does not take into account passengers who agree to give up their seats in exchange for compensation. The DoT said the total number of passengers giving up their seats fell nearly 35% to 74,358 in the 3 months ended Sept 30, down from 114,119 in the same period last year, even as the overall number of passengers rose. <br/>
A House Democrat is introducing new legislation to strengthen airline consumer protections, which comes in response to a United Airlines passenger getting violently dragged off a flight earlier this year. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minn.) unveiled a bill Thursday, ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period next week, that would require airlines to provide passengers with a one-page “bill of rights.” The EU already requires a similar document to be posted online in order to better inform airline consumers of their rights. Under Nolan’s measure, the one-pager would describe the airline’s policies for involuntary bumping, lost or damaged baggage, compensation for flight cancellations or delays and what happens when a traveller is disabled or injured. <br/>
Union aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Thursday said that the airlines cannot charge any additional amount for correction in the name of the same person when the person brings it to the notice of the airline after booking the ticket. The aviation ministry sources said that they have received several complaints in the past over the airlines or their agents demanding extra money for making any changes which causes lots of inconvenience to the passengers. The sources said that it is very common in India to have error in the name spelling or its sequence as a lot of new fliers from smaller towns and cities are getting added each day. Also, a bulk of the bookings still happen through the travel agents who may at times may make mistakes. Many of the passengers are also only semi-literate or illiterate, which can also cause errors. <br/>