What changed
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei consumer associations have urged 10 airlines and five online ticket platforms to standardize refund, change and rebooking rules by Dec. 10, 2026. The airlines include Air China, China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines and nine others; the platforms include Ctrip, Qunar, Fliggy, Tongcheng Travel and Tuniu.
The groups’ investigation found hidden rules, inconsistent charges and weak complaint handling. Participating companies agreed to conduct self-checks and report their corrections.
Why it matters
The problem is not simply that ticket rules are complicated. In some cases, passengers could not easily find the rules, were charged differently from the published standard, or received only part of the compensation they sought.
The figures show where the friction sits:
- 37.7% of respondents needed several clicks to find refund and change rules.
- 58% had heard of tiered fees but did not understand the rates or deductions.
- Among people who pursued complaints, 73.7% received only partial compensation.
- 10.3% were refused outright or received no response.
The proposed fix would make the booking screen itself harder to misunderstand. Airlines and platforms are being told to display conditions, fee percentages and timing rules prominently, stop using small type or weak contrast to bury costs, and avoid preselecting bundled extras. “Special fare” would also no longer automatically mean “never refundable or changeable”; the groups called for reasonable correction periods for short-term booking mistakes and no change fee when the airline alters the schedule.
The practical test is whether the same ticket produces the same charge across sales channels, and whether complaints reach a human without technical obstacles. The companies’ Dec. 10 submissions will show what they promise to change, but the eventual effect on refund amounts and complaint outcomes remains unknown.
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