Forty-two Chinese airlines issued new standards of compensation on Jan. 9, detailing the compensation policy for flight delays, according to a public notice issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Official implementation the new flight management regulations began one week earlier.
Air China, a flagship Chinese carrier, now promises to provide financial compensation to passengers for flight delays caused by maintenance and flight dispatch. Each passenger will receive 200 RMB ($28.86) for delays between four and eight hours. The number goes up to 400 if the delay exceeds eight hours.
China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines offer similar compensation packages. However, China Eastern further states that compensation may be offered if flights are delayed or cancelled due to "commercial" reasons.
Compared with the standards of Air China, China Southern and China Eastern, the standards implemented by smaller companies are slightly less generous. For instance, OK Airways, China's first private airline, will provide only 300 RMB to passengers whose flights are delayed over eight hours. However, the company promises to pay for passengers' meals and accommodations should a delay occur that is caused by the company.
