What is the best way to complain to an airline?

It's often best to email or write to the airline's consumer office at its corporate headquarters. DOT requires airlines that fly to, from, or within the United States to state on their websites how and where complaints can be submitted. There may be a form on the airline's website for this purpose.



People Also Ask

DOT requires airlines that fly to, from, or within the United States to state on their websites how and where complaints can be submitted. There may be a form on the airline's website for this purpose. Often, you may also email or write to the airline or ticket agent's consumer office at its headquarters.

MORE DETAILS

The number-one thing airlines are looking for in a complaint is data, according to JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin. They want to know what flight number you were on, what day, what time, and exactly what happened. The trick is to write this into a reasonable, cordial complaint without sounding like a crazy person.

MORE DETAILS

Difficulties getting refunds were the top complaints in 2022, according to the report. Flight problems, including delays and cancellations, were second. Lost, damaged or pilfered luggage was the third-most common complaint.

MORE DETAILS

A Transportation Industry Analyst will forward your complaint to the airline and the airline is required to respond to you and DOT. Once the airline's response is received, a DOT analyst will review your complaint and the airline's response to determine if a violation occurred.

MORE DETAILS

Here are the ten worst airlines, according to travelers in the United States: American Airlines: 2,183 flight problems and 6,491 reported complaints. United Airlines: 1,583 flight problems and 5,135 reported complaints. Spirit Airlines: 1,102 flight problems and 3,206 reported complaints.

MORE DETAILS

The DOT does not require the airline to offer compensation, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

MORE DETAILS

If you contact the airline or ticket agent to obtain a required refund and you are refused that refund, you should file a complaint against the airline or ticket agent with the Department at https://secure.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint.

MORE DETAILS

Keep Your Voice Down: The easiest way to get a poor response is to shout at an airline employee. They will instantly put their guard up, and many of them will refuse you any further help or service. Tone Down Your Language: The minute you start with any obscenities your cause is lost.

MORE DETAILS

Besides suing in small claims court you can also file a complaint against an airline with the DOT. The DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (ACPD) reviews and responds to consumer complaints against airlines.

MORE DETAILS

So it can delay the flight for an hour to several hours until the problem is fixed. Technical issues are pretty rare, but airlines are liable to pay compensation to their passengers if the delay is of more than 3 hours. The amount of compensation, however, depends upon the flight distance.

MORE DETAILS

You can get a full flight ticket refund only if you booked a refundable ticket. However, airline ticket refund rules vary from airline to airline. Thus, it is better to refer to the airline's website or contact it directly for possible airfare reimbursement.

MORE DETAILS

Most airlines offer a choice between refundable and non-refundable airline tickets. Refundable tickets tend to be much more expensive. Non-refundable tickets are often cheaper, but they do carry risks.

MORE DETAILS

The airline is required to compensate you for a canceled flight if you were notified less than 14 days before your original scheduled departure date. However, compensation is not required if the airline proves that extraordinary circumstances (e.g., weather) caused the cancellation.

MORE DETAILS

However, if your first flight is delayed for more than 3 hours, you may be entitled to compensation from the airline that caused the delay. In addition to compensation, the airline must offer you a choice between: Reimbursement of your ticket and a return flight to your departure airport if you have a connecting flight.

MORE DETAILS

Passengers are also entitled to compensation if they are delayed on the ground upon arrival, with a $50 credit for a delay of one to two hours, a $125 credit for a delay of two to three hours and a $200 credit for a delay of three hours or more.

MORE DETAILS

Frontier is the worst US airline in 2023, and Spirit isn't far behind, according to recent study — see the list of the top 10 airlines
  • Frontier was named the worst US airline in 2023 by claims management company AirAdvisor.
  • Spirit, another low-cost airline, was ranked the second-worst on the list.


MORE DETAILS

The most unreliable airlines in the United Kingdom easyJet received 10,494 complaints over a 12-month period and only managed to resolve 54% of them. The second most unreliable airline was another one with its headquarters at Luton Airport: TUI, the UK subsidiary of the German TUI Group.

MORE DETAILS

Spirit. Like Frontier, Spirit has the skinniest rows of any American airline, with a seat pitch of 28 inches — and they don't recline. Spirit lagged at 8 out of 10 American airlines studied in the in The Points Guys' 2021 report.

MORE DETAILS