AUC warns of risk of connecting flights
08 February 2008The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) has issued a warning to air passengers over the potential risks of booking their own connecting flights, a practice that could lead to problems necessitating travel insurance cover.
A report published by the group, called Missed Connections, warned that missing a link between two flights can cause considerable stress, inconvenience and expense.
Furthermore, airlines are not doing enough to look after their passengers who encounter problems, claimed AUC chairman Tina Tietjen.
"Some airlines expect passengers to pick up the bill for any expenses incurred such as meals or hotel accommodation whilst waiting for the available flight," she said.
"We think that airlines should commit to looking after their customers throughout their journey. But if they do not, they should at least make it clear what their passengers should expect should they cause them to miss a connection."
The AUC, which is the consumer watchdog for the airline industry, has received a number of complaints from passengers who have arranged their own connections by booking separate tickets.
Ms Tietjen warned that, if a passenger misses a self-booked connecting flight, they could end up having to buy a new ticket at a higher price and paying for any meals and accommodation.