More complaints against airlines

AIRLINES were the target of some 215 official complaints made to the Directorate of Consumer Affairs during the first six months of the year, a figure representing an increase of 35 percent on the same period in 2005. The complaints between January and June this year chiefly centred around luggage, flight delays and cancellations. Next on the list, reported the regional ministry for Health and Consumer affairs, were incidents of overbooking. In detail, there were 75 claims against the airline in the first half of 2006, a figure which showed a 41 percent increase over and above the previous year. There were 36 registered complaints due to flight delays, which showed favourably against the same period for 2005 when there were 45 complaints. Cancellations accounted for 24 claims, a figure higher than the 15 which were registered in the firt half of last year.
Overbooking underpinned eight of the cases brought to the attention of the directorate between January and June in 2006, one incident more than last year.
Passenger Numbers
Meanwhile, around 366'500 travellers will be using the facilities at Palma's Son Sant Joan airport during the weekend period which began yesterday, some 3.38 percent more than last year.
The Spanish Aiports Authority (AENA) confirmed that passengers are booked on 2'620 aircraft, 3.84 percent up on the same dates in 2005.
Today is expected to be heaviest from an air operational viewpoint with 970 flights to be monitored carrying 145'000 passengers.