China Eastern Airlines Co Ltd is planning to publish detailed guidelines on how it will compensate passengers whose flights are delayed before the busy summer season begins.

Its major rivals are also expected to set their own guidelines in the near future.

The pending rules will clarify what compensation is given to delayed travelers, depending on what discounts they were given when buying tickets and what class they are flying in, according to Xu Ji, vice manager of China Eastern's corporate management department.

While the guidelines haven't been completed yet, compensation could include cash, hotel vouchers, frequent flyer points or coupons that can be used in airport shops and restaurants.

"Usually, we offer drinks, food, accommodation and free ticket upgrades according to different conditions," said Wu Jiuhong, vice general manager of China Eastern. "Now we're planning to have a set of more detailed rules."

Currently, none of China's carriers has any rules about exactly how much they will pay delayed travelers, instead they only use vague terms like "we will make compensation accordingly."

Xu said China Eastern is talking with its two main rivals -- Beijing-based Air China and Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines Co Ltd -- to make sure their compensation rules don't differ too much.

"It's actually hard for us passengers to tell what kind of flight delays are caused by airlines or other reasons like bad whether, so I don't think it will change too much even with detailed rules," said Liu Ling, a 27-year-old sales woman in the city who frequently travels on business.

(Shanghai Daily June 15, 2004)