KEY POINTS:
Airline passengers routinely put up with practices that would be disowned in any customer-friendly service industry. Lengthy queuing at airport terminals is merely the prelude to the sardine packaging of economy-class flying.
Sometimes, passengers' luggage does not make it on to their flight. Add to this the prospect of being "bumped" off an overbooked flight. This practice has come to the fore because of an episode that left a traveller two hours late to his grandmother's funeral.
Air New Zealand was unapologetic, pointing out that bumping was standard practice among the world's airlines. That, of course, does not make it any more acceptable. A "significant percentage" of passengers may not turn up for flights, but other service industries cope with customer fickleness in far more benevolent ways.
Some international travellers may have time on their hands, but those flying domestically are almost certain to be seriously inconvenienced. That reality triggered an extraordinary response this week from Consumer Affairs Minister Judith Tizard, who urged bumped passengers to seek compensation from the airline of up to 10 times their ticket price.
But civil aviation law stipulates that such remuneration must be based on a passenger's monetary loss. Inconvenience is no basis for a claim.
The odds, therefore, remain heavily in the airlines' favour. Travellers must accept not only the risk of being bumped but strictly circumscribed grounds for compensation. But the minister has at least alerted passengers to the possibility of recompense. An increased number of claims might even persuade airlines to take a less cavalier approach.
If they are not prepared to abandon bumping, they should offer compensation that acknowledges the full extent of its inconvenience to passengers.
