Xiamen Airlines said on Nov 20 that it would offer a 20 yuan insurance that would allow compensation of 300 yuan ($49.23) per passenger for cancelled flights and for flights delayed over 3 hours - if the delay was not caused by a passenger but due to such issues as weather conditions, natural disasters, other emergencies and matters related to air traffic control.

Passengers can purchase the 20 yuan insurance when they buy their air ticket, at http://www.xiamenair.com/cn/en/, the official website of Xiamen Airlines.

If a flight is delayed for any reason unrelated to the passengers, the airline will send the passengers a short message telling them to log onto the website to confirm their bank account details-and the compensation will be transmitted to their accounts within the shortest delay.

Xiamen Airlines said that the usual practice in the industry is for airlines to offer compensation if a flight is delayed for more than four hours. Many airlines do not offer any compensation if the delay is caused by force majeure-such as weather conditions and natural disasters–and this policy sometimes causes conflicts between passengers and airline companies.

Edited by Niva Whyman