When it comes to customer service during delays, airlines fall short, according to new study from AirHelp, the largest air passenger rights organization in the world. Customers gave airlines a satisfaction rating of 3.13 out of 10 for the care they received.
In order to better understand the expenses and experience of a flight disruption, AirHelp polled 1,363 passengers who had experienced a substantial disruption. Over 60 nations, including the EU, USA, UK, and Brazil, sent responses.
- Effect on Travelers
According to the survey, travelers’ top issue is having to wait for extended periods of time; 73% of respondents rated this as a major source of annoyance. Arriving at their destination at an inconvenient hour and feeling anxious come in second and third place, with 71% and 68% of respondents, respectively, expressing extreme frustration with these issues.
Passengers have surely faced travel delays recently due to continuous labor disputes, strikes, and technical issues. According to AirHelp, major flight delays cost passengers an incredible €362.50 on average. 72% of individuals questioned spent money they hadn’t intended to, with alternative travel, food and drink, and lodging representing the top outgoings. 46% of passengers experienced financial losses as a result of disruptions, including lost wages and non-refundable expenses for things like lodging.
- Airlines’ Obligation to Take Care
The research by AirHelp showed that although many airlines offer some form of care to passengers, more people are left without it. Only 37% of passengers questioned reported receiving basic care during their disruption, such as food and water, and 15% of them only got this care after requesting it from the airline. There is a lot of space for improvement as only 17% of customers who were delayed and 14% of passengers who had their flight cancelled thought the airline had given them enough information.
Over 20 million passengers experienced disruptions in the UK alone in July and August of this year, with over 892,000 air travelers experiencing flight cancellations. While airlines often offer passengers with flight cancellations money or alternate flights, a closer examination of cancellations indicated that 17% of survey participants received neither.
- Passengers’ Rights Information
There still needs to be more done to ensure that passengers are aware of their rights, even though most airlines are becoming more aggressive with their communications. 82% of respondents who were asked if the airline advised them of their rights as air passengers at any stage during their disruption said no.
However, it was shown that proactive caregiving was the best strategy to enhance the passenger experience, with remuneration and adequate information having the biggest beneficial effects on satisfaction. According to a report by AirHelp, airlines may increase customer satisfaction by 60% by promptly giving customers enough information about the disturbance.
“Dealing with the unpredictable nature of air travel is never easy, especially when considering strikes and other unforeseen disruptions that are out of our control,” says Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp. At AirHelp, we strive to do more than simply inform passengers of their rights and assist them in exercising them in the event of delays and cancellations. Instead, we want to collaborate with airlines to make sure that passengers have a positive travel experience overall. Companies can use the survey’s findings to pinpoint areas for improvement, with a particular focus on better and more timely communication.
Source- Travel daily
Link- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/airhelp-survey-what-does-flight-disruption-cost-passengers/