Concerned passengers booked on Boeing MAX 8 flights have little cancellation options
Passengers have stormed social media, claiming they feel unsafe on a MAX 8. But it looks like they don’t have a leg to stand on when cancelling.
Travel Incidents
Don't miss out on the headlines from Travel Incidents. Followed categories will be added to My News.
As Australia and a string of other countries around the world ground MAX 8 flights following the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash, shaken travellers are demanding to know how to avoid flying on the Boeing model.
China, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Argentina, the European Union and others have all grounded the planes after an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed on Sunday, killing all 157 people aboard.
The crash marks the second deadly incident in less than six months involving a Boeing MAX 8 aircraft.
On Tuesday, Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority announced it was temporarily suspending operation of the MAX 8 planes while investigations into the cause of the accident continue.
While no Australian Airlines use the aircraft, two foreign airlines fly them in Australian airspace.
One of those is the Singapore Airlines-owned SilkAir, which has already grounded its MAX 8s. The other is Fiji Airways, which is yet to make a decision on their fleet.
Fiji Airways has two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, as well as other aircraft types in its fleet that will be substituted for the 737 MAX for services to Australia.
“This is a temporary suspension while we wait for more information to review the safety risks of continued operations of the Boeing 737 MAX to and from Australia.” CASA chief executive and director of aviation safety, Shane Carmody, said.
“CASA regrets any inconvenience to passengers but believes it is important to always put safety first.”
Following the tragedy, passengers around the world stormed social media pleading for their money back from airlines, or at least to be moved to another flight after being booked to fly on a Boeing MAX 8 aircraft.
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, Westjet and Copa, however, have gone against the growing trend and refused to ground their fleet.
On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supported the decision of US and Canadian airline carriers, stating they had confidence in the 737 MAX 8 aircraft and it was still “airworthy”. The FAA didn’t support grounding aircraft at this stage.
“The FAA continues to review extensively all available data and aggregate safety performance from operators and pilots of the Boeing 737 MAX,” an FAA statement read.
“Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding of the aircraft. Nor have other civil aviation authorities provided data to us that would warrant action.
“In the course of our urgent review of data on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, if any issues affecting the continued airworthiness of the aircraft are identified, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action.”
Despite continuing investigations and a call for calm by the FAA, a growing number of passengers are wanting to change their plans to avoid travelling on a MAX 8 aircraft.
W HAT DOES THE GROUNDING MEAN FOR AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLERS
According to Natalie Ball, director of Comparetravelinsurance.com.au, getting compensation if you don’t want to fly on a MAX 8 aircraft won’t be an option with insurers.
“In the light of the Ethiopian Airlines crash, many airlines and governments are grounding the popular Boeing MAX 8 aircraft pending safety investigations,” Ms Bell told news.com.au.
“Travel insurance would generally not cover issues within the airlines’ control, such as overbooking or mechanical faults, covering instead for issues outside the airlines’ control, such as natural disaster, bad weather or strikes.
“Holidaymakers with flights booked in countries that have not grounded the flights, such as the USA and Canada, may be re-evaluating their travel intentions if they are due to fly on a MAX 8 plane.
“Unfortunately, as the US Federal Aviation Administration has determined there is no basis to ground the flights, cancelling or requesting a transfer to another flight may be considered change of mind or disinclination to travel.”
“Very few Australian travel insurers offer policies which include ‘cancellation for any reason’, including disinclination to travel, and so most travellers are unlikely to be covered.”
“Travellers with comprehensive travel cover who are affected by grounded flights may have provision to claim from their travel insurer, as the groundings may be considered to be outside of the airlines’ control.”
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE BOOKED ON A BOEING MAX 8 AIRCRAFT
There are three fairly simple ways to know if you’re booked to fly on a 737 MAX 8 by looking at your upcoming flight online, or by checking your boarding pass.
1. Check your airline site or app. Clicking on the flight number will show you what type of aeroplane is assigned to the flight.
2. Check the registration of the aeroplane on the FAA site. Before you board, note the registration number that is clearly marked on the side of the plane. Plug that number into the FAA registration data base.
3. Aviation apps such as FlightRadar24 make it easy to see the type of aeroplane on which you’re scheduled to fly. Look up your flight number or use the app filter function to track all 737 MAX 8s and any other aircraft.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU ARE BOOKING A FLIGHT THAT WILL USE A MAX 8 AIRCRAFT
Typically, when booking a flight online, there will be a small tab showing extensive details about the flight and airline you’re considering travelling with.
On Webjet, for example, a “more details” tab is present alongside the duration and timing of the flight.
The tab, when selected, provides flight features, including aircraft model, entertainment options, internet capability and meal options.
When booking with Expedia, a similar tab labelled “details and baggage fees” is underneath the duration and timing of the flight.
The tab, when selected, provides flight features, including aircraft model, class status and meal options.
WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS IF I AM BOOKED ON A BOEING MAX 8 AIRCRAFT
While passengers can always choose not to get on a plane if they feel unsafe, major airlines in the US and Canada that have 737 MAX 8 planes as part of their fleet are not grounding those aircraft or changing their standard flight cancellation, change or refund policies.
According to The Independent, in the absence of aviation regulators, such as the Civil Aviation Authority, ordering the planes to be grounded (which has happened in Australia) or the airline unilaterally deciding not to fly them, passengers will pay normal cancellation penalties if they choose not to travel or wish to switch to another flight that isn’t using a Boeing MAX 8 aircraft.
Typically, insurance doesn’t cover “disinclination to travel”, meaning if you want to change your flight simply because of the aircraft being used, you won’t receive compensation.
According to CNN, if a passenger sees they would be flying on a 737 MAX 8 and they choose not to take that flight because they feel unsafe, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both say their standard flight change policies would apply.
For American Airlines, each passenger is charged an additional fee if a change is made to the flight.
For Southwest, passengers can change their flights with no charge. Passengers pay only the difference in fare when they change flights on Southwest.
Southwest, the largest carriers of the Boeing MAX 8s in the world, use the aircraft across the US and have chosen not to ground their fleet.
On Southwest’s website, for example, you can find what kind of plane will be used by clicking the flight number on the page where prices and flight times are displayed. You can also find what kind of plane is being used for your flight on SeatGuru.com.
For passengers wanting to cancel their plans and seek compensation, airlines will make you pay the price.
Aviation lawyer Mary Schiavo, a CNN transportation analyst and former inspector general at the US Department of Transportation, said an airline “has the right to substitute equipment”.
“If you could book a 737 500, and you find out it’s a 737 MAX, technically they don’t have to honour your request. … So you don’t have a right to specify you are not going to go on a 737 MAX,” she said.
As for flight attendants, according to Fortune, air hostesses will not be required to board a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane if they feel uncomfortable.
Lori Bassani, national president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, told American Airlines’ employees on Monday they had the option to avoid flying on Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes. In a letter addressed to the 27,000 represented flight attendants, she wrote, “It is important for you to know that if you feel it is unsafe to work the 737 Max, you will not be forced to fly it.”
CONCERNED PASSENGERS STORM SOCIAL MEDIA
A woman from California with tickets on Southwest Airlines to Portland, Oregon, in May this year asked the airline on Twitter how she could find out what type of plane would be used on the route.
“I don’t want to be on a Boeing Max 8,’’ she said.
As the largest carriers of the MAX 8, Southwest Airlines said on social media they had no plans on grounding their fleet.
“We remain confident in the safety of our fleet of more than 750 Boeing aircraft,’’ the airline said in one response on Twitter.
“Southwest has operated approximately 31,000 flights using the Boeing 737 Max, and we plan on operating those aircraft going forward.’’
@SouthwestAir My daughter and I have a flight to OAK at the end of May from PDX. How do I find out what type of aircraft we will be flying? I don’t want to be on a Boeing max 8.
— Andrea Call (@andi_call) March 11, 2019
@TUIUK I am booked to fly to Tenerife next week and believe it will be on a #Boeing737Max as I have already flown that route with you before and that was the aircraft used. I no longer wish to travel on that aircraft, can I cancel my booking? Also why haven’t you grounded them?
— Average Joe (@Average28545065) March 11, 2019
Another passenger, who is booked to travel later this week with carrier TUI, asked how he could cancel his booking rather than board the Boeing MAX 8 aircraft.
Another woman, who is travelling with Air Canada and has a flight booked on a 737 MAX, said she would refuse to fly on the plane and questioned if she would be charged a cancellation fee.
Currently, 24 MAX 8 aircraft are owned by Air Canada, while WestJet and Sunwing have 17 between them.
@AirCanada I booked YVR-TXL return flights for May 5 days ago. Last leg YYZ-YVR on a 737 MAX. I refuse to fly on that. Will you let me change flights w/o fee? Or continue to ignore customers' rightful safety concerns? #aircanada #737MAX #737MAX8 #Boeing737Max #BOEING737MAX8
— alexandra phillip (@feraltales) March 11, 2019
@SouthwestAir I just booked a flight for my family on your website, but I couldn't find what type of aircraft it would be. None of us want to fly the Boeing 737 Max, so how can we find out if that's the plane for our reservation?
— rcrsv (@rcrsv) March 11, 2019
On Sunday, flight 302 took off from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa bound for Nairobi with passengers from more than 30 countries.
The doomed Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet went down just six minutes after taking off from Bole International Airport. All on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 died.
It is not yet clear what caused the crash — but something went wrong shortly after takeoff at 8.38am, and the pilot asked to turn back to Bole International Airport.
It was the same type of aircraft as the plane involved in a deadly Lion Air crash off Jakarta in October 2018 — just six month prior — that killed all 189 people on board.
The Lion Air flight crashed 13 minutes after takeoff, while the Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed just six minutes into its journey.
The 737 Max 8 model is one of the latest versions of the world’s most popular aircraft used by airlines the world over. Thousands of 737s have been produced since the first of its kind was introduced by Boeing in the mid-1960s.
Investigation are still continuing into both Ethiopian and Lion air crashes, but the latest disaster has renewed questions about the 737 MAX 8, the newest version of Boeing’s popular single-aisle airliner, which was first introduced in 1967 and has become the world’s most common passenger jet.
Virgin Australia is due to receive 737 MAX 8s in November this year, along with 10 of the MAX 10s, but say it’s too early to make a call on whether they will pull their order.
“Safety is Virgin Australia’s number one priority,” a statement from the airline read.
“Virgin Australia will not introduce any new aircraft to the fleet unless we are completely satisfied with its safety. There are currently no Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in our fleet.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to work with Boeing, CASA and other relevant authorities as more information becomes available.”
Captain John Lyons, president of the Virgin Independent Pilots Association that represents Virgin Australia and Tigerair pilots, said despite the tragedy he had the “utmost confidence in the Boeing 737”.
“VIPA continues to have the utmost confidence in the Boeing 737 and the rigorous training that Virgin Australia provides its pilots,” Captain Lyons said in a statement.
“We look forward to its introduction at Virgin Australia as it brings outstanding commercial advantages to the airline and enhanced customer appeal.
“Boeing has delivered more than 10,000 737 aircraft since it first flew in 1967, accumulating nearly 300 million flight hours with the lowest fatality rate of passenger airliners.
“Without exception, this makes the 737 the safest and most popular commercial jet ever.”
Originally published as Concerned passengers booked on Boeing MAX 8 flights have little cancellation options
Bizarre last moments of missing Aussie mum
Authorities have revealed the mysterious timeline of a missing Aussie mum’s movements in Mexico before her daughter was found abandoned.
Four dead in Mother’s Day horror
Four people have died in multiple crashes across Queensland on Mother’s day, marking a horror weekend on our roads.