Airlines required to offer full refunds for delayed flights soon: Malaysia transport minister

Airlines will soon have to provide mandatory full refunds to passengers of flights delayed for at least five hours or more, said Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke. He said the move, which comes into force on Sept 2, follows amendments to the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (Mavcom) Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code (MACPC) 2016. He explained that this applies to passengers who choose not to proceed with the delayed flight and opt to purchase a different flight altogether. “This is an improvement for consumers. There was no such provision previously where airlines only had to provide food and so on. Now, if passengers have an alternative flight, they can get a refund if their initial flight is delayed for five hours or more,” he said during a press conference on Aug 28. He said refunds also had to be offered through the passengers’ initial payment method. Other amendments to the MACPC will also see refunds applicable for flights disrupted due to extraordinary circumstances like changing weather patterns. “Here, airlines can also offer refunds in alternative forms like travel vouchers or credit shells. Consumers, however, have the choice to decide on their preferred refund method,” Loke said.<br/>