Fatima Muhammad
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Passenger complaints regarding the delay of flights constituted the majority of complaints filed to the customer protection department at the General Authority for Civil Aviation. Such complaints constituted 28% of over 1,390 complaints flied to the department. Other complaints include luggage loss, canceled flights, ticket refund and flight booking.
According to the department statistics, the total number of complaints it received in 2015 added up to 1,394, of which they resolved over 1,370. The total number of complaints has increased by 252% compared to 2015.
Consumers have expressed their satisfaction regarding the ways their complaints have been resolved by a percentage of 97%. Further, they have received over 1,400 enquiries on Twitter account.
Abdul Hakim Al-Badr, the assistant to the chairman of the Safety and Security Aviation Department, noted that they are working on starting a website and a program that receives and deals with passengers completes online. Further, he added that they will start an awareness campaign that aims at introducing carriers to their rights and the rights of passengers.
GACA, he noted, provided a hotline (920008043) for passengers to raise their concerns around the clock.
According to GACA bylaws, the carrier is obliged to book hotel to passengers if their flight is canceled or if the delay is over six hours. If the delay is one hour, the carrier has to provide beverages and if the delay is over three hours, then a fresh meal must be served as well.
