Have a complaint against an airline–but don’t want to waste your time with low-level Customer Service reps?
Good. You’ve just learned what is probably the single most important lesson in bureaucracy-busting: If you want action, seek out those who are empowered to make it happen.
So take your complaint to someone who has the authority to resolve it. This means, preferably, the CEO of the airline, or at least one of his executive colleagues.
But who are these people? And how do you track them down?
You start by realizing that every major airline has a website. And that website can usually be counted on to list the top honchos of the company.
Even if it doesn’t, you can usually obtain this information on the Internet. Go to “google” and type: “[Name of airline] board of directors.”
This should arm you with
- the name of the CEO;
- the company’s mailing address;
- its phone number for reaching its top executives; and
- its website and/or email address.
Below are listed
- the names of the CEOs of the major United States airlines
- their mailing addresses
- their corporate phone numbers and (where given)
- their email addresses.
But the corporate world is filled with men (and a few women) who are highly skilled at moving up–by moving others out. So keep in mind that the names provided below will not be permanent.
Check out the appropriate websites to obtain the latest information before writing that letter and/or making that call.
Send out a letter addressed “To Whom It May Concern” and you’ll instantly be branded as a lightweight. This only shows that you were too lazy/stupid to find out who holds power in the organization.
Whereas a well-written letter addressed to the key decision maker will instantly warn top executives: “Take this person seriously.”
Now, the airlines:
DELTA AIRLINES
Richard H. Anderson – Chief Executive Officer of Delta since September 1, 2007.
Edward H. Bastian – President of Delta since September 1, 2007.
Click here: Delta Airlines Board of Directors
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Thomas W. Horton – Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, AMR Corporation / American Airlines, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas.
John W. Bachmann - Senior Partner, Edward Jones, St. Louis, Missouri.
Mail:
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
Phone: (817) 963-1234
Click here: American Airlines Board of Directors
UNITED AIRLINES
Glenn F. Tilton – non-executive chairman of the board of directors of United Continental Holdings, Inc.
Jeffery A. Smisek – President and Chief Executive Officer, United Continental Holdings, Inc.
Oscar Munoz – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, CSX Corporation
Shareholders and other interested parties may contact the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors as a whole, or any individual member, by one of the following means:
- writing to the Board of Directors, United Continental Holdings, Inc., c/o the Corporate Secretary’s Office, HDQLD, 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601; or
- by emailing the Board of Directors at UALBoard@united.com
If neither of these methods seems to work, try these:
Phone (general): (800) (800) 864-8331
Phone Investor Relations: (312) 997-8610
United Continental Holdings, Inc. – Investor Relations – Board of Directors
JETBLUE AIRWAYS
Joel C. Peterson – Independent Chairman of the Board of Jetblue Airways Corporation.
David Barger – President, Chief Executive Officer, Director of JetBlue Airways Corporation.
Mark D. Powers – Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, Treasurer of JetBlue Airways Corporation.
AIRTRAN
AirTran Airways is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines. Thus, complaints against Airtran should be directed to the top executives of Southwest.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
David W. Biegler – Chairman and CEO
Click here: Southwest Airlines Investor Relations – Board of Directors
US AIRWAYS
W. Douglas Parker – Chairman of the Board, CEO
Bruce Lakefield – Vice Chairman of the Board, President, CEO
Derek Kerr – Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President
Corporate Contact Information:
Mailing address: US Airways 4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85034 Corporate headquarters: 111 W. Rio Salado Parkway Tempe, AZ 85281 Phone: (480) 693-0800 7 AM – 5 PM Monday – Friday
Daniel E. Cravens
Director
Investor Relations
US Airways
111 West Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: 480.693.1227
E-mail: Click here: US Airways | Compliments/complaints
Click here: US Airways | Investor relations
Click here: US AIRWAYS GROUP INC (LCC:New York): Board of Directors – Businessweek
ALASKA AIRLINES
William S. Ayer – Chairman
Bradley D. Tilden – President and CEO
Brandon Pederson – Chief Financial Officer
Corporate Offices:
P.O. Box 68900
Seattle, WA 98168
Phone: (206-433-3200
Click here: Executive Leadership – Alaska Airlines
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
In 2010, Continental Airlines merged with United Airlines. Direct all inquiries and complaints to United Airlines, whose corporate information is given above.
