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AIRLINE PASSENGER SERVICE COMMITMENT

Airlines in Europe have developed the Airline Passenger Service Commitment following consultation with representatives of Air Travellers, European Governments and the European Commission.

For MAT-Macedonian Airlines passenger service concern has always been a priority. Therefore, MAT has joined member carriers of the Air Transport Association to address the key service element that most affect our passengers. The Service Commitment contains non-legally binding commitments to deliver defined standards of service to air travellers. The code covers 14 areas, before travel, during travel and after travel. It will enable air travellers to make a more informed choice of airline when planning their travel arrangements.

 

1. We offer the lowest fare available through each of our direct outlets
The price you pay for an airline ticket generally depends on your travel circumstances, the flexibility of your travel plans and the availability of promotional fares. MAT commits itself to offer you the lowest appropriate fare available for which you are eligible through our own telephone reservation system, our websites and  ticket offices for the date, flight and class of service requested. 

This means that for travel dates and itineraries that are fixed, we will find and guarantee you the lowest MAT fare available for the date and time you wish to travel. It is possible that different fares apply at different outlets. Some fares may only be booked via our webpage. We will explain any restrictions that apply to your fare. Therefore, we will inform you about the terms and conditions that apply to the fare chosen and any applicable taxes, fees and charges.

2. We honour the agreed fare after payment
After payment for the ticket has been made, no fare increase will apply for the date, flight and class of service booked.  However, any change in taxes, fees and charges will be subject to additional payment or refund.

3. We notify passengers of known Delays, Cancellations and Diversions
Our goal is for all flights to arrive on time. However, when flight irregularities do occur, we will provide passengers at the airport and on board the aircraft in question the best available
information regarding known delays, cancellations or diversions as soon as possible. We will
attempt to notify you or your travel agent in advance, whenever reasonable, of any changes to
your flight schedule that occur a day prior to departure, provided that your phone number is available.

4. We assist passengers facing delays
If you should face a delay when travelling with MAT it goes without saying that we will care about you. This means for instance that we offer appropriate assistance, for example refreshments, meals, accommodation, to our passengers facing delays beyond two hours provided that local conditions allow for such assistance to be delivered. Also, assistance to you may not be provided if this would further delay the departure of your flight. The assistance described above may not be offered on routes operated under public service obligations in accordance with the policy of the authority defining the obligation.
If you are a delayed passengers on an inclusive tour package, the assistance given to your flight will be in accordance with the published policy of the tour organiser.

5.  We  deliver baggage as quickly as possible
We make every reasonable effort to deliver your checked baggage to the arrivals hall area as quickly as possible. In the case your checked bag does not arrive with you, you can be sure that we will take action to retrieve your bags and have it returned to you as quickly as possible, i.e. within 24 hours of its arrival at final destination if law permits, of course free of charge. Immediate assistance sufficient to meet your reasonable short-term needs will also be offered by us.

6. We allow telephone reservations to be held or cancelled without commitment or penalty within 24 Hours
Subject to applicable ticketing deadlines, we will allow passengers to hold a telephone reservation at no charge for a minimum of 24 hours in order to give passengers the, opportunity to check for lower fares through other distribution systems, such as travel agents or the Internet.

7. We provide prompt refunds
Some promotional fares are not refundable, but many other types of tickets are. When buying your ticket, we will tell you whether it's refundable or not. If your ticket is refundable, MAT will provide a refund on any refundable portion of your ticket after you provide us with your unused ticket or travel documents. 
Where you apply for and are entitled to a refund on a ticket purchased directly from us, we will issue refunds within 7 business days for your credit card purchases and within 20 business days for your cash or cheque purchases. Similarly, any taxes, fees and charges collected from you with the fare and shown on the ticket are refundable if the coupon is not used. This regulation also applies to non-refundable tickets. Your refund will be issued within the same time limits as above.

8. We provide assistance to passengers with reduced mobility and passengers with special needs
We endeavours to provide passengers with special needs professional and courteous service at all times. We publicise the services we offer for assisting passengers with special needs and passengers with reduced mobility in an appropriate manner compatible with applicable safety regulations.
For passengers with reduced mobility, we commit ourselves to support the attached document entitled "Meeting the Needs of People with Reduced Mobility".

9. We meet passengers’ essential needs during long On-Aircraft delays
Sometimes you are already on board the aircraft when a delay occurs, perhaps due to congestion or changing weather or other circumstances. You can be sure that we do not aim to keep you on-board any longer than necessary. If you are a passenger on board an aircraft that is on the ground for an extended period of time without access to the terminal and where it is deemed safe, practical and legal MAT makes every reasonable effort to provide you with food, water, lavatories and access to medical treatment. Additionally, we will make every effort not to keep you on board during long delays.

10.  We take measures to speed up Check-in
MAT sets reasonable check-in deadlines and in co-ordination with the airports takes appropriate steps to avoid congestion in departure areas. We take measures to speed up check-in to assist passengers to meet their check-in deadlines. These measures include e-ticketing and automated check-in systems, self-service check-in, mobile check-in stations, off airport check-in, fast track check-in and queue combing.

11. We reduce the number of passengers that are involuntarily denied boarding
In order to accommodate the greatest number of passengers that want to fly, and to keep ticket prices down all airlines sometimes overbook flights with the knowledge and expectation that some of the reserved seats will remain unused at the time of departure. Some passengers ticketed for a flight may not be provided seats due to weight restrictions or substitution of a smaller aircraft. In the event of a flight having more passengers then seats available at the time of departure, we will first seek volunteers that are willing to give up their seats, subject to any security or operational constraints at the airport in question. MAT passengers that are denied boarding due to overbooking will be booked on the first available alternate flight with available seats. Meals and hotel accommodations will be offered when appropriate.

12. We provide information to passengers regarding our commercial and operational conditions
According to the increased desire of our passengers to receive precise and competent information concerning our products and services, we provide you with the following information relevant to your journey: 

13. We provide information on operating carrier
For flights operated under a code share, a franchise or long-term planned lease agreements, we will inform you of the name of the airline actually operating the flight.Details will be given upon reservation whenever such reservation is made through a distribution channel under the direct control of Macedonian Airlines - i.e., our own offices, our telephone reservation centre and our own websites - and at the airport upon check-in.

Regarding a reservation made through a channel that is not under the direct control of Macedonian Airlines - i.e., travel agencies and websites other than our own websites - we will remind travel agents and website operators to systematically inform our passengers regarding the operating carrier at the time of reservation.

We make it clear, through appropriate wording, that your contract is with the marketing airline, i.e., the airline whose designator code appears on your flight coupon or routing slip next to the flight number.

We inform you when travelling on code share services that the level of service may be different and that the Airline Passenger Service Commitment may not apply.

14. We are responsive to passenger complaints
At MAT, our employees are constantly striving to provide our customers with top services and high quality products throughout the customer service chain. However, if you should be dissatisfied with any part of our products and services rendered because we failed to meet your expectations, we want to know. We welcome your feedback, whether comments, concerns and/or suggestions in order to improve our products and services. 
If we did not perform to your satisfaction, we normally provide a substantive response to your written complaint within 28 days of the date of receipt. When this does not permit sufficient time for the complaint to be properly investigated an interim response will be provided, giving the reason for the delay. We have designated a convenient point of passenger contact for all complaints. The address and/or phone number and departmental name of this customer service function is provided in timetables, on websites and any other public information source and will also be available at all travel agents accredited by airlines.

ATTACHMENT
MEETING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH REDUCED MOBILITY (PRMs)

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to improve the accessibility of air travel to people with reduced mobility by ensuring their needs are understood and provided for, and their safety and dignity are respected. It is aimed at airlines providing services and facilities at airports and on aircraft, and forms the basis on which a voluntary Code (or Codes) of Practice may be prepared.  When preparing Codes, the appropriate provisions of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) Document 30 (Section 5), and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO Annex 9) will be considered.  These documents provide technical information and are produced, following consultation with the airline industry, by governmental agencies concerned with establishing standards and recommended practices.

Definition

A person with reduced mobility (PRM) is understood to mean any person whose mobility is reduced due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotory), an intellectual impairment, age, or any other cause of disability when using transport and whose situation needs special attention and the adaptation to the person’s needs of the services made available to all passengers.

Basic assumptions

1. PRMs have the same rights as other citizens to freedom of movement and freedom of choice. This applies to air travel as to all other areas in life.
2. Airlines, airports and related service providers have a responsibility to meet the needs of PRMs.  PRMs also have a responsibility to identify their needs to the proper channels at the proper time.
3. Information must be made available to enable PRMs to plan and make their journey.
4. The cost of providing for the needs of PRMs must not be passed directly to the PRMs.
5. Disability should not be equated with illness and therefore PRMs must not be required to make medical declarations about their disability as a condition of travel.
6. Organisations representing PRMs will be consulted on issues relevant to PRMs.
7. Staff will be given appropriate training in understanding and meeting the needs of PRMs.
8. Control and security checks should be undertaken in a manner which respects the dignity of PRMs.
9. PRMs must be enabled to remain independent to the greatest possible extent.

Airline Practices

• No carrier will refuse a PRM except where he/she cannot safely be carried or cannot physically be accommodated. When the carriage of a PRM is refused, carriers will explain clearly and explicitly the reasons for refusal.
• When a PRM declares that he/she is self-reliant (self-sufficient and capable of taking care of all of his/her physical needs independently in flight), the airline should accept that declaration. The airline should then be under no obligation to provide on-board assistance which contravenes health, safety or hygiene requirements where such declaration has been made.
• Airlines will pursue technical and operational options for improving access and facilities on aircraft of all sizes, particularly when major refurbishment is undertaken.
• Where a direct route is not possible for a PRM, (e.g. because of small aircraft), airlines will endeavour to suggest an acceptable alternative.
• Regardless of the size of airport and aircraft, arrangements for embarkation and disembarkation should respect the dignity of PRMs.
• Airlines will, where space permits, provide on-board equipment/ facilities to aid the self-reliance of PRMs within limits of health, safety and hygiene.
• PRMs will have equal choice of seat allocation, subject to safety requirements. Airlines will explain clearly and explicitly the reasons for not allocating a specific seat when the request is not met for safety reasons.
• Certified Service Dogs will be carried in the cabin, subject to national importation and airline regulations. Where they are carried, there will be no charge.
• PRMs will not be charged for the carriage of basic mobility equipment or other essential disability assistive devices.
• Airlines must take all reasonable steps to avoid loss or damage to mobility equipment or other disability assistive devices. Where loss or damage occurs, airlines will make appropriate arrangements to meet the individual’s immediate mobility needs.

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