A comment earlier today from a Beat of Hawaii reader has brought to light the ongoing issue of airline passenger compensation. The reader recounted their experience on Hawaiian Airlines flight HA 62 from Kona (KOA) to Los Angeles (LAX), which faced a significant delay. Scheduled to depart at 3:25 PM, the flight didn’t take off until after 10 PM, a nearly seven-hour delay. Passengers were provided with a mere $20 food voucher and no further compensation. This raises the question: Do passengers have any recourse in such situations?
“April 8th….. Hawaiian Airlines flight HA 62 didn’t take off from KOA to LAX for 7 hours….. Was suppose to be a 3:25PM take off but actually didn’t take off until 10:15pm…. everyone was given $20 for food…… and that was it….. no other compensation….. do all of us on flight have a recourse… ???”
BOH Reader Leland
The current state of airline passenger compensation as relates to Hawaii flights.
Airline passenger compensation in the U.S. is limited and still varies widely between airlines. Generally, compensation is offered based on the nature and severity of the problem, such as delays, cancellations, denied boarding, and lost or damaged baggage. However, the specific policies and the extent of compensation offered differ significantly between airlines, particularly for flights to and from Hawaii.
Hawaiian Airlines’ Commitment per U.S. DOT Dashboard.
Hawaiian Airlines, like other U.S. carriers, has a set of commitments for controllable delays and cancellations. These include:
- Rebooking on the same or partner airline at no additional cost.
- Providing meals or meal vouchers for delays of 3 hours or more.
- Offering complimentary hotel accommodations and ground transportation for overnight delays.
However, Hawaiian Airlines does not provide:
- Cash compensation for delays of 3 hours or more.
- Credit/travel vouchers or frequent flyer miles for delays of 3 hours or more.
This policy gap often leaves passengers like those on flight HA 62, including Leland, feeling inadequately compensated, especially for long delays such as this.
Comparing compensation across airlines flying to Hawaii.
Other airlines that fly to Hawaii, such as American Airlines, Delta, and United, have very similar policies to one another and to Hawaiian, but with some differences.
Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines, however, differ significantly in this area. They both offer frequent flyer miles or travel vouchers for delays of 3 hours or more, although, unfortunately, they also do not provide cash compensation.
Could a successful Alaska Air acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines improve passenger compensation?
That’s a thought we continue to ponder, as many of you have in your comments. There are a number of areas where Hawaiian could benefit significantly from Alaska’s wherewithal. One of those is technology, another is customer service, and a third is Alaska’s better passenger compensation.
Legal recourse and passenger rights for Leland.
Passengers on delayed flights do have some recourse, though it often involves either navigating the airline’s customer service options or pursuing legal action. In the case of Hawaiian Airlines flight HA 62, passengers could potentially argue that the $20 food voucher was insufficient for a seven-hour delay.
If Leland wishes to seek further compensation, he could do the following:
1. Contact Hawaiian Airlines customer service to request additional compensation.
2. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
3. Consider legal action if the compensation offered does not cover the incurred expenses and inconvenience.
Enters trip insurance.
Given the limited compensation policies of U.S. airlines, trip insurance becomes a worthwhile consideration for travelers on Hawaii flights. While it adds to the cost of travel (often 5-10%), it can provide coverage that Leland seeks for delays, as well as cancellations, and other unforeseen issues, potentially saving passengers from significant out-of-pocket expenses.
That being said, trip insurance is another level of hassle when traveling. Travel insurance providers don’t make it particularly easy to make claims against policies. When using trip insurance, you will need to document all details, from the purchase of the flight to the expenses, together with physical documentation on everything. For a seven-hour delay, it may well not be worth it.
There is a need for clear and comprehensive compensation policies.
The experience of Hawaiian Airlines flight HA 62 passengers underscores the need for better compensation policies that can be clearly understood, whether for flight delays or cancellations. While U.S. airlines, including those with flights to and from Hawaii, offer some compensation, it often falls short compared to international standards. For example, European and UK regulations mandate refunds of up to $600 per passenger for delays over three hours.
There is clearly room for U.S. airlines, together with regulators, to improve this situation. Passengers should stay aware of their rights when events occur, consider trip insurance, and be prepared to advocate for fair compensation for disruptions. Keep in mind the U.S. DOT Dashboard and refer to it for specifics related to your Hawaii flights.
If you have any experiences or questions about airline compensation on flights to Hawaii, feel free to share them in the comments.
Ran into a similar situation in Feb on AA. They refunded a good chunk of my 1st class ticket since I ended up flying coach from DFW since I took the first available flight out, and put 10,000 miles into my Advantage account. Couldn’t really complain….
Best Regards
Was supposed to have flown HA39 from Portland to Kahului last Friday morning (05-10-24). Our flight was to have taken off at 9:50am but was delayed every hour after that til they finally threw in the towel at 1:30pm and cancelled it owing to an “aircraft issue”. No other details than that as we were informed the flight (with a new plane) would depart the next day @ 6am. We received a total $60 in food vouchers, bottled water and snack boxes from Hawaiian. The next morning as we boarded we received vouchers for another flight to assuage our disappointment and hassle. I’m ok with what was offered
but don’t expect that next time….
We already save them every time they get stranded for no cost to them.
The FAA needs to hold airlines to a standard set in 2004 by the EU. Eu261 seems to be fair to the consumer while holding the carrier responsible for issues under their control, while excusing those situations beyond their ability to remedy.
Do they really think you can get a meal at the airport for $20?? Not a snack, but a real meal? A $20 meal to cover 7 hours? I’m really shocked.
I have flown Hawaiian Airlines exclusively for about 11 years when going to or from Hawaii, and I’m surprised and disappointed to hear that they have dropped to this level of customer care. Fortunately the flight attendants I’ve encountered still provide some of the best service on board in the US market.
Ever do any long hauls on hawaiian ( I’m thinking east coast to HNL)?
We get an annual policy with Alliance every year- runs around $450 US for our family of 2. It was a godsend in 2021. Hubby tested positive for Covid the day before our flight home from Cancun. He had to stay in isolation for 5 days and took a different airline home. They covered everything!
“If you travel a lot, get a credit card that includes trip insurance as a perk”
Started to write this and I saw it had already been written. Fully agree. You can Google which cards and which issuers (visa, amex) have this included and have better policies for covering delay costs, baggage loss, which types of trips are covered, etc.
My husband and I were booked on the Mother’s day flight from saginaw mi to dtw to hnl, delta 1. The flight from Saginaw was delayed 5 1/2 hours and we had to cancel because we couldn’t get to dtw in time. Delta didn’t have another flight available so we took the airports offer that we could cancel our trip and rebook within 2 or 3 days ands they’d give us the same price for the new tickets as we had paid for our original tickets. I called the same day to book that offer and was told they do not do that, that I have to pay the current price. The current price is $500 a ticket higher than the price of my original tickets.
I was on a flight fron Inchon South Korea to Honolulu. The flight experienced some turbulence and I remained in my seat while the fasten seat belt light was on. As soon as the light was turned off I went to the restroom. While I was in there the plane hit more turbulence and I hit the right side of my head on the door. I did not experience any dizziness so I did not report it. I went back to my seat and returned to Honolulu. Five days later I started experiencing seizures. I thought I was having a stroke so I went to the ER and I was informed that I had bleeding in my head and it was causing pressure which caused the twitching. I informed Korean Airlines and I was told that because I did not report it to the crew they were not responsible
Well they are right. I’m sorry that happened to you (if true) but it should have been reported the day of
About 2 years ago upon boarding HA12 from HNL to SFO, the gate agent gave all passengers a $25 voucher for a future flight credit in compensation for the in-flight entertainment system not working. To redeem, I had to mail the voucher to Customer Service after booking and completing a subsequent flight on HA. The voucher had to be accompanied by the boarding pass for the subsequent flight. After a couple of weeks and having responded to an inquiry from HA for more details related to the voucher, I (surprisingly) did find a $25 credit on my credit card account that was used to purchase the subsequent flight. Was the $25 worth the effort? Jury’s still out … but the process showed it was all done manually in HA.
Good suggestion about trip insurance. However, do not buy it from the travel site. Google trip insurance, you will almost always find better coverage at a much lower price. If you travel a lot, get a credit card that includes trip insurance as a perk. I use Capital 1 Venture X. Tons of benefits for the card holder. Don’t leave home without it! 🙂
Hi Joe.
Thanks for that good tip. Don’t buy it from airlines.
Aloha.