The number of passengers passing through UK airports this summer is predicted to surpass the pre-pandemic 2019 figure of 23.8 million.
The Civil Aviation Authority is helping passengers to be aware of their rights by publishing accessible guides on social media and also reminding airlines of their responsibilities to look after passengers if something happens to their flight.
The research is the first stage of a work programme being undertaken by the regulator which aims to improve industry communications with consumers during disruption: ensuring those affected know their rights and receive the assistance that they are entitled to. This partly stems from recommendations made by an independent review of the NATS air traffic control outage in 2023 and will be complemented by an upcoming compliance programme designed to ensure that airlines are meeting their obligations to consumers when they face disruption.
Selina Chadha, Group Director for Consumers & Markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:
“Flight disruption is often unavoidable in the complex global aviation system, but what our research shows is that there is a clear gap in what passengers expect from airlines, and what is currently being delivered.
“When faced with disruption passengers need to know what they are entitled to, and airlines need to give clear, timely information. Airlines that recognise the importance of good communication when something goes wrong can transform loyalty-damaging experiences into trust building moments that reduce passenger distress."
Other key findings from the research published today include:
- Nearly two thirds of passengers expressed dissatisfaction with communications and over half (57 percent) of passengers felt that airlines providing more detailed information during disruption would have improved their experience.
- First notification is a critical moment to get right, with nearly half (45 percent) of passengers being actively dissatisfied with how the disruption they faced was initially communicated.
- 57 percent of passengers wanted more information during disruption, and 56 percent wanted more frequent communication - only one third (34 percent) of passengers were satisfied with the frequency of updates they received from their airline.
- Passengers who are not satisfied with their communications are more likely to claim for some form of compensation or reimbursement, compared to those who are satisfied with their communications (36 percent of those dissatisfied with initial comms attempted to claim for compensation, versus 27 percent of those satisfied).
- SMS text is the preferred channel at first notification of delay for 64 percent of passengers (as it does not rely on connection to internet which many passengers abroad may not have).
- Despite 92 percent of passengers claiming to check flight status before arriving at the airport, 41 percent found out about their disruption through airport speakers / boards.
- Nearly 1 in 10 (7 percent) of passengers who experienced a flight cancellation (not a delay) ended up cancelling their trip entirely.
Through its ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign, the Civil Aviation Authority is reminding passengers of the importance of being aware of their rights so they can claim what they are legally entitled to if something happens to their flight. To help passengers if their flight is disrupted, the regulator has produced a series of short, animated videos that are available online and on its social media channels.
Tags: Selina Chadha, UK Civil Aviation Authority