There’s a good chance you won’t be able to resolve your problem with the airline.
In its September 3, 2009 issue, Time magazine warned that calling the airlines’ customer complaint lines would likely prove a waste of time.
The major carriers have, quietly, made it steadily more difficult for customers to reach a person with their complaints. “The airlines don’t want to talk to their customers,” says John Tschohl, a consultant to businesses on customer service.
Even the few airlines that still have customer-service numbers bury them deep within their websites. Finding them is often as much a matter of luck as persistence.
So as advised in Part Four of this series: Don’t waste your time with Customer Service smallfry.
Go directly to the topmost officials of the airline and make it clear that it’s in their best interests to resolve your problem. Then, if you can’t find a workable solution, file your complaint with as many consumer-protection websites as possible.
You can also file complaints with one or more federal agencies that hold jurisdiction over the airlines.
If your complaint is safety related, address it to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at:
Assistant Administrator for System Safety ASY-100
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20591
Phone: 1-866-835-5322
Click here: Contact the Aviation Safety Hotline
If your complaint involves security, contact the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). They can be reached at (866) 2890-6793 or at their website of Click here: Transportation Security Administration |.
You can also file a complaint with one or more consumer complaint websites.
Below is a partial list of consumer complaint websites. No endorsement is implied by this listing. It’s offered simply to illustrate the variety of such websites available.
http://www.pissedconsumer.com/ – Pissed Consumer (complaints only)
http://www.measuredup.com/ – Measured Up (“Customers Review / Businesses Reply / Everybody Wins”)
http://www.thesqueakywheel.com/ – The Squeaky Wheel (submits your complaint to google)
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ – Federal Trade Commission (does not resolve individual consumer complaints)
http://hissingkitty.com/ – Hissing Kitty (posts your complaint on Google, Yahoo, and Bing)
http://www.airlinecomplaints.org/ – Airline Complaints (complaints only)
http://www.airsafe.com/complain/complain.htm – Air Safe (“critical information for the traveling public”)
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/airlines.html – Consumer Affairs (complaints only)
A final option is to sue the airline.
For most people, bringing in a lawyer is like bringing up the heavy artillery. When should you do so?
Christopher Elliott, author, consumer advocate and journalist, outlines “five times when you should consider skipping the complaints process and going straight to court:
- When they’re playing games;
- When they’ve broken a contract;
- When they’re being dishonest;
- When they’re ignoring you;
- When they aren’t listening to reason.
Elliott’s webpage contains a wealth of practical advice for those who are fed up with of airline arrogance. It can be accessed thus:
Click here: See you in court: 5 times when you should just sue ‘em.
Yet another must-read for those wondering if they should file suit:
Click here: Lies the Airlines Tell Us – ABC News
Assuming you decide to sue, there are three ways to do this:
- In small claims court.
- In regular civil court as an individual claimant.
- As part of a class-action lawsuit.
Each approach has its own series of pluses and minuses.
One option is to do so in small claims court.
A plus is you don’t need an attorney. In fact, you’re barred from bringing in an attorney. You represent yourself, which means you don’t have to pay an attorney–either up-front or at the end of the case.
Another plus: It will cost you far less to represent yourself than it will cost the airline to send a representative. If you file in California and the airline is headquartered in New York, it will be expensive for them to send a rep to attend the proceedings.
If the airline fails to send someone as its representative–which is highly unlikely–it loses by default.
A minus is that you may not be the confrontational type. You may also feel intimidated by the legal process–and afraid of looking like an idiot if you lose.
Another minus is that each state sets a different amount you can win in damages.To learn about the rules applying to small claims courts in your state, consult the following link:
Click here: 50 State Overview of Small Claims Rules | Nolo.com.
A second option is to take your case to civil court.
A plus is that the dollar-amount you can obtain at this level is far higher than in small-claims court.
A minus is that you’ll definitely want to retain an attorney.
True, you can legally represent yourself. But aviation law is complex. The airline will definitely have an attorney, so if you don’t, you’re bringing a knife to a gunfight.
Another plus: If you can find an attorney willing to represent you on a contingency fee basis, you don’t have to pay him unless you win. His fee will then come out of your settlement amount.
Another minus: If you can’t find an attorney willing to take your case on this basis, you’ll have to pay him by the hour, after first putting up a retainer fee, which can be quite large.
A third minus is that the courts are clogged with cases, and it can take months or even years before yours will be heard.
