Airline Complaint?

Mancunian

Hi All

From experience, if you have a complaint with an airline:-

1. Write to the top man MD, Chief Exec, CEO etc at his personal address if poss- no PO box numbers or customer service addresses. If its a foreign airline then try to send it to the proper foreign HQ not the UK office.

2. Send it 'Special Delivery' or at the least 'Recorded Signed for' marked 'Private and Confidential'.

If it is to another country then send it 'Signed for International' - its only £3 odd to £4

3. Give it 6-8 weeks max

4. If you don't hear anything then get in touch with the 'Air Transport Users Council' which is part of the Civil Aviation Authority - http://www.caa.co.uk/auc/

This has done the trick 'big time!' on the couple of occasions I have had problems.

chalky_bertie

Couldn't agree more with Mancunian. When we have had complaints, not just about travel related issues, I allways write to the "top man" - whats the point of writing to the monkeys?

I do this because if he reads at first hand how bad the service / product is, a manager with any decency will look at it and think oh s***, and get straight on to it, but the customer care lot just think - oh well. Sometimes you will even get a personal reply from him, if not at least you know he should have seen it!

MisterT2

I spent the whole of a year taking Airtours to court with the help of Which Legal Services.

The code of practice says that they should respond within 28 days. If they do not then keep a diary as this shows unprofessional conduct. It should certainly not be as long as 6 - 8 weeks.

I personally thought that contacting the Air Transport User Council was a complete waste of my time. They seemed to be so biased towards the Airline and did not want to play fair.

Airtours settled the day before they were due in court. It doesn't look good when you break someone's wheelchair and then spend a year arguing about it. Its the same as breaking someone's legs.

Mancunian

Interesting to hear your experience with the Air Transport User Council (ATUC).

One of my problems was going nowhere with Turkish Airlines then when ATUC intervened low and behold.... an offer came.

They did admit they had 'no teeth' and did seem a little suprised when I let them know it was all sorted out!

I must say I had only written a couple of letters and had not gone or didnt plan to go legal.