Airline travel can sometimes be a nightmare, and when our plans don t work out, some of us fire off angry letters to the airline. But to get what you really want from the airlines, knowing how to complain makes all the difference.
Long lines, delayed or canceled flights, lost luggage, bad customer service - sound familiar?
This is the experience some airline passengers are having when flying the not-so-friendly skies.
Wall Street Journal reporter Scott McCartney says after all the aggravation, many customers fire off angry complaints to the airlines only to get less than satisfying responses. If you want a better response, McCartney suggests be specific about what you want.
"If you want a voucher for a discount for a future trip or a free ticket or a bump up in frequent flier miles or something like that, put a price on it. Tell them what you think you re owed because of their mistake."
E-mail complaints get answered faster than snail mail.
Another common mistake, according to McCartney, is telling an airline you ll never fly with them again. "I think the better way to go about it is to say, You know, I have been a loyal customer. This is what I think I m due in terms of compensation for what you did to me and let s go forward.
Here s an opportunity for you to surprise and please me and win back my loyalty. "
Barbara Moletierre s flight to Los Angeles was canceled, but her bag managed to take off. Ten days later, Barbara still didn t have her luggage, so she went to the airport looking for answers.
"They couldn t tell me anything more than [what] was in the system. I had filed a claim; I didn t know where it was. I thought it was in LA.
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If you lose your luggage, McCartney says get the phone number of the baggage office. "It s sometimes better to be able to call directly there and say, Hey, you know my black roll aboard is lost. Can you help me find it, and get it back on an airplane?
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There are even companies that ship your luggage for you. Some consumer advocates say they don t even trust the airlines with luggage anymore and recommend you ship your bags before you leave.
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