Flair Airlines has introduced a new On-Time Guarantee for passengers with delayed flights, but critics say it could dissuade customers from getting the full amount of money they are owed.
Canada's ultra-low-cost carrier announced its new offer on Wednesday, Nov. 13, providing a $60 voucher to passengers with flights delayed by over 60 minutes from the scheduled arrival time or cancelled within 72 hours of departure.
Passengers can check their reservations online for these details.
Travellers are automatically enrolled in the e-voucher program when they purchase tickets and don't need to apply for them. They must be over 18 to buy tickets and get them directly with Flair online; the offer does not apply to stand-by tickets.
Eric Tanner, Flair Airlines' network planning and revenue management vice president, told V.I.A. the airline cancels significantly fewer flights than other airlines.
Flair was Canada's most reliable airline in October, completing 99.6 per cent of its flights, according to Cirium data.
Tanner said the airline is a "leader in on-time performance," owing in part to sticking to flights offering nonstop service between destinations rather than connections.
The budget airline characterized its on-time October figures as "strong," with 82 per cent of flights arriving on schedule, "narrowly trailing Porter Airlines (83.3%) and WestJet (82.9%)" but coming out ahead of Air Canada.
Tanner added that the voucher "reflects a new page in Flair's growth" and reframes "previous perspectives that aren't in line with what Flair is today." The voucher does not replace the money owed by Canada's airfare regulations but is an additional bonus.
According to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), large carriers must provide travellers $400 if they arrive late at their destination by over three hours but under six. However, delays under this amount do not receive compensation.
"We are really just raising the bar," he remarked, noting the difference between a one- and three-hour delay is significant. Flair will also provide the $60 voucher to travellers with delays over three hours in addition to monetary compensation.
Interim CEO of Flair Airlines Maciej Wilk echoed this sentiment, stating that "no other airline in Canada offers this level of accountability."
How can I use Flair's On-Time Guarantee voucher for my next trip?
Flair will email the vouchers directly to the passenger who booked the flight, although they may take 48 hours to arrive. Passengers who booked tickets are responsible for sharing vouchers with all eligible travellers.
The vouchers are only redeemable online with Fly Flair.
Travellers must enter their unique voucher code on the payment screen (the final step of the booking process). Only one voucher may be used per booking.
The e-voucher only applies to the base fare of the flight (does not apply to taxes or airport fees) and is good for one-way or round-trip flights. It does not apply to "perks" such as baggage or seat selection.
Only passengers over 18 are eligible for On-Time Guarantee e-vouchers; children or minors are not eligible.
The vouchers are non-transferable and may be used for 60 days after they are issued.
Air passenger rights advocate weighs in on e-voucher
Gábor Lukács, president and founder of the Air Passenger Rights group, remains skeptical of Flair's commitment to passenger compensation.
"While Flair's recognition that it needs to deal with its reliability-of-service issues is correct, I read the FAQ posed by Flair, and I am not impressed," he told V.I.A.
Lukács said passengers may be misled to believe the $60 voucher is all they are owed for a delay, even if it extends over three hours. Many travellers aren't educated about the APPR guidelines and the airlines do not compensate them fairly.
His skepticism extends to previous issues customers have experienced in trying to get fair compensation with the low-cost carrier, and some of the verbiage it previously listed on its website.
In February, Flair continued listing its customer compensation rules under Canada's "small carrier" guidelines on its website, despite achieving "large carrier" status in the new year (transporting over two million passengers annually).
For example, a large carrier owes $400 for a three-hour delay, while a small owes $125. It eventually changed the rules and said it had adhered to the large carrier guidelines but many customers had challenges receiving compensation.
Numerous passengers have also raised concerns about Vancouver flight disruptions and cancellations, with some left stranded at the eleventh hour or needing to turn to the media to receive compensation.
Lukács said customers should remember they are owed "way more" if the flight is cancelled within 72 hours, including:
- rebooking the passenger on another flight, even if it is on a competitor airline (Flair is a large carrier)
- standardized compensation of up to $1,000 per passenger in cash (not vouchers), depending on the cancellation reason
Lukács also noted that Flair's decision not to cover children "makes no sense." Tanner told V.I.A. it had to do with regulations regarding issuing vouchers to children but did not provide further details.
The air passenger rights advocate says the voucher "feels like a trick to make passengers spend even more money" despite having their travel disrupted.
"It comes across as a somewhat desperate move."
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