From Lawpack's Leaves on the Line!
Ever spent the first day of your holiday wandering around an airport terminal instead of where you want to be, or waiting expectantly at the luggage carousel only to discover that your familiar brown holdall has gone to a separate destination?
Before complaining about airlines, have a look at the airline's customer charter (most will have one). This will set their standards and complaints procedures. You could write to their Head Office, although if it's abroad, you may be able to address your concern to their UK branch. If you are at the airport, you could lodge your complaint with the airlines duty officer - there should be one available round the clock.
The next step is to write to the Air Transport Users Council. They will investigate your case and try to conciliate.
- Under international law, you can receive compensation when your fight is delayed if the airline could reasonably have avoided the delay. As ever, some companies will have more generous arrangements than others when things go wrong. The customer charter will advise. Most airlines will pay for hotel charges and meals if necessary. If you feel that you should receive more compensation than you have been offered, you may have to consider legal action.
- If you are turned away because your flight is overbooked, you can claim compensation if, for example, you have to stay overnight in a hotel. Most airlines have compensation schemes for this. Indeed, all flights from European Union airports and those in Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have 'denied booking compensation' rules whereby they will offer you a choice of either a full refund, or the earliest alternative flight of your choice, or your choice of flight at a later date. You're also entitled to cash compensation of about £90 for flights under 2,200 miles and £180 for longer flights, but these amounts will be halved if the airline can get you to your destination within four hours (long haul) or two hours (short haul) of your original arrival time.
- Under the terms of the Warsaw Convention (agreed as long ago as 1920!), you can claim compensation for lost or damaged luggage, unless the airline can show that they took all reasonable precautions. The compensation is hardly generous, however (£15 per kilo of lost luggage), so it's no substitute for having good insurance cover. If your luggage is delayed by the airline on your outward flight, you can claim to cover the cost of replacement items such as toiletries and nightclothes. If your luggage is damaged, you must complain within seven days of collecting the items.
Ask to speak to the manager of the relevant department. If your complaint concerns a British Airports Authority (BAA) airport (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Glasgow, Prestwick, Aberdeen and Edinburgh), you can speak to BAA staff at the information desk in the arrival area, or fill in one of their special 'comment cards'. You can also write to the Public Relations Officer at the airport. If you still get no satisfaction, write to the General Manager of the airport and then to the secretary of the Airport Consultative Committee.