Consumer / Charges / Automatic add-ons
Automatic add-ons
Do you know what you are getting with your ticket? You have a right to only pay for airline services that you request or knowingly agree to. This means that airlines cannot automatically add on additional services (for example, seat choices, check-in baggage or travel insurance) to air fares without you knowing about them.
The airlines should clearly state what these additional services are and how much they cost at the start of the booking process. You also have a right to choose whether or not to add these additional services. If these services were added to your ticket price without your consent, contact your airline or MAVCOM as soon as possible.
Illustration
Hani is planning a day trip to Singapore for a meeting and decided to bring only her hand carry luggage which is less than 7kg. During her booking with ABC Airline, the system automatically-added baggage and insurance to her itinerary. Can Hani obtain a refund of the costs of the automatically-added baggage and insurance?
- Airlines are prohibited to automatically add-on additional services such as insurance effective 31st August 2016. However, consumers are encouraged to purchase travel insurance as it covers other unforeseen circumstances such as medical incidents and other emergencies when abroad.
- In this case, ABC Airline should not automatically-add in the baggage and insurance. Hani is entitled for the refund of the costs of the automatically-added baggage and insurance.
For more information, please refer to the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC) – Part II, Paragraph 5: Minimum Service Level and Standards of Performance For Airlines and Aerodrome Operators – Prohibition on Automatically Adding On Services.
You may also refer to our short animated video below on this topic:
