Consumer complaints about poor airline service, especially regarding service during flight delays, have been escalating.

Now China's major airlines, under prodding from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), are considering compensating customers for such inconveniences.

Affected passengers may be provided with free tickets, free board and lodging and seat upgrades without charge, said Xu Ji, deputy general manager of China Eastern Airlines' Administration Department.

Mileage accumulation rewards and cash compensation are also in the customer service package under discussion, Xu said.

Sources at CAAC said the compensation plan will be finalized and announced early next month.

CAAC has been working to resolve the longstanding customer service problem and has urged the airlines to consider passengers' rights and interests, said a CAAC official on condition of anonymity. He gave no details about the plan.

However, China Eastern Airlines outlined its 20-item Customer Service Plan on Monday. Areas where adjustments will be made include seat reservations, ticket sales, in-flight services and luggage transport as well as delayed, rerouted or cancelled flights.

If passengers fail to board the plane on time because of overbooked flights, they will be compensated in cash, said Wu Jiuhong, general manager of China Eastern Airlines.

The nation's two other major airlines--Air China and China Southern Airlines--are also developing customer service plans. Air China expects to release its service commitments before the end of this week.

CAAC's Consumer Business Center reports that consumer complaints increased by 27 percent year-on-year in 2003. Complaints about delayed flights topped the list at 159, or 42.4 percent of the total.

Although the current Civil Aviation Law requires the airlines to compensate passengers for delayed flights, it does not provide criteria for compensation.

(China Daily June 16, 2004)