KUALA LUMPUR: National carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has started refunding passengers whose flight tickets to and from Bali, Indonesia were cancelled as a result of the Mount Agung eruption.
Other airlines however have maintained the move to not offer refunds but to instead offer other methods of compensation.
MAS, in a travel advisory on its website, said affected passengers can obtain a full refund on all refundable or non-refundable tickets for passengers ticketed on or before Nov 27 to 29 for travel to or from Denpasar, Bali between Nov 29 and Dec 11.
Tickets, it said, must be submitted for refund latest by Dec 11.
Passengers ticketed within the same period could also apply for a flight, subject to availability, to Jakarta, Surabaya or any Asean destination by Feb 28 next year.
“No refund is permitted for any residual value if any.”
Another option given by MAS to affected passengers was deferment of travel to Bali until Feb 28, 2018.
“Malaysia Airlines has also opened a dedicated counter at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at A19 to assist affected passengers.”
Meanwhile, AirAsia said its passengers whose flights were cancelled are entitled to choose one of several service recovery options.
“Passengers can change to a new travel time on the same route within 30 calendar days from original flight time without additional cost and subject to seat availability or they can retain the value of your fare in a credit account for your future travel with AirAsia.”
On the same issue, Malindo Air said it will allow affected passengers with tickets issued on or before Nov 27 and traveling to and from Denpasar from Nov 27 to Dec 31 to defer their travels until Feb of next year or reroute to a different destination for travel by Dec 30.
Mount Agung erupted for the second time in a week on Saturday, prompting evacuation of hundreds of thousands of local residents and cancellation of flights to and from the island.