Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/04
By: Yang Shu-min and Lilian Wu

Taipei, March 4 (CNA) Disputes with budget airlines have risen over the past three years in Taiwan, the Department of Consumer Protection under the Executive Yuan said Friday, urging the airlines to respond to the needs of consumers quickly.

It said city and county governments have handled an increasing number of disputes with budget airlines, with the number ballooning to 332 cases in 2015, up from 47 cases in 2013 and 101 cases in 2014.

Since Taiwan first began allowing budget airlines to operate in 2004, there are now 19 local and overseas-based budget carriers offering regional flights to and from Taiwan and many cities in Asia.

As more airlines enter the market and competition among carriers increases, more problems involving service quality have arisen.

In 2015 alone, the number of cases involving disputes over ticket refunds or ticket changes totaled 164, accounting for 49 percent of the total.     [FULL  STORY]