Nearly 80% of air passengers would willingly pay extra money for a flight ticket if it guaranteed them compensation when faced with major flight disruption, new research shows.
The survey of more than 3,000 passengers from Ireland, the UK, the US, Germany, Brazil, France, Portugal and Spain – by flight compensation travel tech firm, AirHelp – shows that 62%, almost two-thirds, of respondents said they have experienced major flight disruption and want to see stronger rights in place for passengers.
More than half of those surveyed also said they think the threshold for compensation should be lower than three hours.
The findings uncovered that 61% of global passengers feel their rights should be stronger, with 30% of those respondents stating that they should be significantly stronger. This sentiment was especially prevalent with European and Irish respondents, with 62% and 59%, respectively, advocating for greater passenger protection.
When looking at the length of delay required for passengers to qualify for compensation, AirHelp found that 52% of global passengers believe the threshold for compensation should be less than three hours. This expectation was even more pronounced among European travellers, with 58% sharing this view.
The survey also highlighted that 79% of global passengers would be prepared to pay more for their ticket if it ensured compensation in the event of a delay or cancellation. This willingness was highest in the European countries surveyed at 81%, and with 79% of Irish respondents. When it came to the amount passengers were willing to pay, globally the most popular choice was between €10 and €20, with 22% opting for this range. This was closely followed by €5 to €10 at 21%, and with 25% of Irish passengers surveyed.
AirHelp asked respondents if they had ever experienced a significant flight disruption, and 62% answered “Yes”. This included 50% who faced a delay over three hours, 28% who dealt with a cancelled flight, and 7% who were denied boarding due to overbooking. Despite the high number of passengers experiencing disruptions, only 40% were informed of their rights by their airline. What’s more, for those passengers who faced significant disruptions, nearly half (49%) were not informed of their rights.
While some airlines are becoming more proactive in their communications, there is still much more to be done to ensure passengers are informed of their rights. This need for improvement was highlighted by 43% of global respondents who stated they didn’t apply for compensation after a flight disruption because they were unaware they were eligible to do so. A further 22% also stated that they did apply as they believed the process was too time-consuming or complicated.
With this in mind, AirHelp has launched its latest Air Passengers Rights Guide which aims to support and inform passengers about their rights when travelling worldwide. The guide includes an overview of what passengers are entitled to when their flights are delayed or cancelled, including food and drink, accommodation or an alternative flight, as well as financial compensation.
Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, said: “Our survey uncovered some valuable insights that will help us better support passengers in understanding their rights and effectively enforce them in the event of delays and cancellations. While navigating the unpredictability of air travel, we are committed to working with airlines to enhance the overall passenger experience, and continue to raise awareness of air passenger rights through our comprehensive Air Passengers Rights Guide.”
