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Complaint Repair in the
News
December
4, 2000
Link
to Article: http://www.entrepreneur.com/Your_Business/YB_SegArticle/0,1314,284395-----,00.html
Full Text of Article:
"Filing An Airline Complaint - Was your flight crew less than friendly?
Find out how to get an apology."
By Chris McGinnis
December 04, 2000
Q: My expectations of the airlines are no higher than anyone else's, but
the rudeness and lack of communication I experienced on a recent flight
added insult to already frustrating circumstances. At the very least,
I'd like to receive an apology, and I think I should also be compensated
for the inconvenience. What's the best way to go about getting this?
A: With flights packed and airports bursting at the seams, airline customer
service often leaves much to be desired.
If you feel slighted in service, then you have every reason to voice your
dissatisfaction and, if reasonable, demand compensation. The key is knowing
how to file a complaint effectively.
Venting your anger haphazardly may bring short-term emotional benefits,
but in the long run, you're better off if you approach your concern calmly
and rationally.
Airline consumer affairs representatives are deluged with piles of written
complaints, but there are several ways to argue your case more effectively
and maximize your chances of getting an answer or compensation.
Here are a few things to remember: If you're sending a letter to the airline,
keep it to one or two pages, typed. Be sure to send a copy to both the
airline and the Department of Transportation, which tracks the number
of complaints it receives and posts the results in its monthly Consumer
Report.
Here's the address: U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer
Protection Division C-75, Room 4107 Washington, DC 20590 202-366-2220
airconsumer@ost.dot.gov http:www.dot.gov/airconsumer
Be specific. Spell out as concisely as possible exactly what happened.
Include dates, names, locations, flight numbers and frequent flier account
information.
Calm down and give yourself a day or two to calm down before writing a
letter. You'll lose credence if you seem unreasonable or spiteful.
Remember, the person reading your letter is trained in business, not counseling.
If you're requesting some kind of compensation, be specific and reasonable.
For example, if you feel you're entitled to a credit of frequent flier
miles to your account, then specify the amount.
For contact information on the major airlines, click "Next" below. In
addition, there's been recent growth in the number of Web sites with bulletin
boards for posting complaints and sharing them with other passengers.
However, posting a complaint here doesn't stand in place of filing an
official complaint with an airline.
Here are some great places to vent your anger and see if others have had
similar experiences:
Air Travel Complaints
Complaint Repair
eComplaint Repair
uGetheard.com
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