'Tis the Season to Refund Flights

The nation’s unpredictable weather and hundreds of cancelled flights led to airports looking like mini-Hoovervilles with passengers waiting hours, sometimes days, to catch a flight to see loved ones.

Late last week, airlines like Continental Airlines and United began to offer free one-time rebooking through Dec. 26 for those stranded mostly in the Pacific Northwest. Southwest gave travelers 14 days from the initial date of travel to find a flight and Alaska Airlines offered available flights or a complete refund. (United, JetBlue and Alaska will also credit the price difference for a new flight, American and Delta impose a $150 fee.)

On Wednesday at the Los Angeles International Airport, Alaska Airlines personnel were attempting to clear backlogs of passengers trying to fly to Seattle or Portland. About 3,500 customers were affected by the cancellations and delays. LAX officials say it will take a few days to get passengers to their intended destinations.

If you were one of those people stranded in Portland, Seattle or LAX, who would you be the least unhappy with? The airline that worked to get you a flight or offered a full refund, or one that made you wait at the airport another six to 24 hours for (hopefully) another flight? Most would be happier with the first option because it gives exhausted and anxious customers a choice.

In this holiday season, most companies should be giving people better customer service and promoting goodwill — because in these trying economic times it’s needed. Being the airline that gouges a customer $150 for changing his or her itinerary after an airline cancellation isn’t just about lacking holiday spirit, it’s also bad business.