BANGKOK, May 30 (TNA) – The Foundation for Consumers urged the government to require airlines to give full refunds to customers whose flights were cancelled.
Narumon Mekborisut, the foundation’s head for consumers’ rights protection, said the foundation had earlier asked relevant organizations to help the consumers who were unfairly treated on flight delay or cancellation by local and foreign airlines due to measures to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The foundation also sent its request to the permanent secretary for transport and the director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to seek legal protection for affected consumers.
The foundation proposed the Transport Ministry require all airlines to give full refunds to customers for the fares and fees of cancelled flights.
If airlines plan to compensate with travel vouchers or other options, they must seek consent from concerned customers, Mrs Narumon said.
The foundation also proposed that the finance minister withhold soft loans for airlines until they make the refunds for affected passengers. Earlier airlines asked the government to arrange for soft loans worth 24-25 billion baht to help them out of the COVID-19 crisis. (TNA)
