My first trip to the continent of Africa was definitely an exhilarating experience. It was a dream to chat with wise elders about the customs of their village, breathe the tantalizing aromas of Zanzibar’s spices and feast my eyes on the seemingly endless plains filled with the majestic animals of the Masai Mara. A beautifully inspiring dream, indeed.
Unfortunately, my flights to and from the Mother Land were more of a nightmare.
Rather than grumbling to myself and being grateful for the overall success of my trip - I chose to complain. I took the time (and yes it does take some time, which is the reason why many of us don’t do it) to write specific and intentional emails to each airline. As a result of my complaints, I was refunded $250 for my outbound flight experience and $750 for my return flight experience. Which means I almost flew to Africa for FREE!
Five Tips for Writing a Successful Complaint to Airline:
1. Be specific - Include exact flight numbers, airport locations (use the three letter codes) and delay times. Include names of staff you had interactions with, if possible, especially if the interactions were unpleasant.
Example:
OK Complaint:
“My flight to my destination was delayed”.
Better Complaint:
“On July 23, 2019, my original flight DL 123 from LAX to DAL was scheduled to depart LAX at 12:30PM. However, the flight did not depart LAX until 4:45PM - a 4 hour and 15 minute delay. When I asked John Baker, the agent at the ticket counter for an update, he replied, ‘I don’t know what’s going on. Have a seat’.”
2. Be Descriptive - Paint the picture. Use your five senses.
Example:
OK Complaint
“My flight to my destination was delayed and it was a bad experience. The staff were unhelpful.
Better Complaint:
We were forced to sit on a plane for 2 hours, until we were finally able to deplane. The plane was extremely hot which caused me to feel lightheaded and nauseous. There were babies crying and passengers arguing loudly with flight attendants for answers. After deplaning, I asked John Baker, the agent at the ticket counter for an update, and he angrily replied, “I don’t know what’s going on. Have a seat.” Mr. Baker’s rude tone made me feel extremely anxious and disregarded as a passenger on your airline.
3. Cause and Effect - Be sure to explain the effect the service interruption had on your entire trip.
Example
Ok Complaint
As a result of this delay, I was extremely inconvenienced.
Better Complaint
As a result of this 4 hour and 15 minute delay, I missed my connecting flight to LIM. I did not arrive to my final destination until the next morning. I missed the wedding of my best friend, a wedding in which I was the Maid of Honor. This is a once in a lifetime event that I can never experience again. My best friend and I are heartbroken.
4. Ask For What You Want - Ask for compensation! I typically ask for money, but you can also ask for things comparable to your experience. For example, if your seat was broken and did not recline ask for a free upgrade to Business or First Class on your next flight. Send receipts for any purchases that you believe the airline should reimburse you for. If you don’t have receipts, still make the request, just be specific with costs. Think of the monetary costs associated with every inconvenience. For example, when a return flight caused me to miss a shift at my part time job, I provided my hourly wage asked for compensation for my entire shift. It worked! Remember, no cost is too little! (ex: meals, Uber, etc)
Example:
Ok Complaint
Due to the delay, I did not arrive to my final destination until the next morning. I should be compensated for this inconvenience.
Better Complaint
Due to the severe delay, I was forced to eat dinner in the airport, rather than a meal onboard. I spent $25.00 for a unsatisfiable meal at Dinner Express. Also, as a result of the delay, I did not arrive to my final destination until the next morning on July 24th. Consequently, I paid for one night in a hotel room that I was unable to use. The nightly nonrefundable rate of Comfort Stay Hotel is $185.00. Due to the mechanical issue of your plane, causing a near 5 hour delay, which caused me to miss my connecting flight and not arrive until the following day - I ask that you compensate me the $185.00 for the hotel night stay I was unable to use. Also, I prepaid for a shuttle service from the airport to my hotel for my intended arrival of July 23rd. I also ask that you compensate me $40.00 for this shuttle fee, which was also not refundable. In total, I am requesting to be reimbursed $250.00. Receipts are attached.
5. Stroke the Ego - As a frequent traveller, I am enrolled in multiple rewards programs and even have a few airline credit cards. Whenever, I experience issues I am QUICK to remind the airline of my status as a customer. Don’t be afraid to embellish a little here. ;-)
Example:
OK Complaint
I am really disappointed with my experience because I fly with your airline a lot.
Better Complaint
As a frequent flyer with over 152,000 miles and a Gold Advantage Card holder, I am extremely dissatisfied with this airline. Perhaps I should find a new airline to be my carrier of choice for the 10 plus international trips and 20 plus domestic trips I take a year. As a loyal customer, your company has let me down in the worst possible way. In order to reestablish the trust I once had in this airline, I expect that you will compensate accordingly.
Of course we hope our travel experiences will be pleasant, however in reality we know that isn’t always the case. Hopefully these five tips will be useful when you find yourself in a situation needing to ask for compensation from an airline.
Lastly, don’t forget the power of social media. In addition to a well-crafted email, a quick tweet Facebook, or Instagram post can also go a long way.
Happy Traveling!
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