I like this middleseat guy, he is better that Travel Insider. He is more here is what to do for help than the insider being "whaaaaa! this not right". What Airlines Do When You Complain by Scott McCartney Friday, March 23, 2007provided by Mike Wallace of San Francisco was so mad about recent travel experiences and a lack of response to his complaints that he searched the Internet for email addresses at UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and fired off an angry letter to more than 60 company officials. No response. A second email to all the addresses he could find that used @united.com and @ual.com did get some attention. In all, after corresponding with United a dozen different times about being stranded at airport hotels on two different trips because of United flight problems, Mr. Wallace and his wife got some measure of satisfaction: business-class upgrades for some future trips and a $400 voucher. "It's a series of systems, policies and nameless, faceless people in place to wear you out. Most people just give up, but I pursued and pursued and pursued before I finally got something," said Mr. Wallace, an environmental consultant and elite-level United customer. A United spokeswoman says the airline's goal is to "satisfy our customers the first time they call, write or email us." After the aggravation of mechanical breakdowns, computer meltdowns, schedule changes, lost luggage, missed connections and long telephone or airport waits, many customers fire off angry complaints to airlines -- only to get less-than-satisfying responses. But there are ways to get more redress, airlines and travel experts say. (This week, The Middle Seat focuses on how airlines handle complaints; next week, the column will look at the Department of Transportation's role in addressing fliers' grievances.) A common mistake: Telling an airline you'll never fly them again. If so, then the airline no longer has an incentive to try to win back the customer, some airline officials say. Another tip: Always tell the airline what you want in compensation, and be realistic. A one-hour delay won't get you anything, but if the airline canceled your flight because of a mechanical problem, forced you to spend the night in a cheap motel and miss your important morning meeting, then lost your bag the next day, you can ask for something meaningful, like a free ticket. "Sorry doesn't cost the airline anything, and there's no reason for them to give you anything if you don't ask," says Joe Brancatelli, publisher of business-travel site JoeSentMe.com. Federal rules require airlines to reimburse customers for lost luggage and compensate them for bumping them from overbooked flights. After that, as with most any business, consumers are on their own seeking redress for bad service. There are differences in how airlines handle customer complaints. United and Continental Airlines, for example, still have phone lines to field complaints. More than 200 Continental employees are trained to resolve problems and compensate passengers on the spot, a spokeswoman says. Most other carriers don't take complaints by telephone -- mail, fax or email only. Once airlines respond to a written complaint, you typically can't talk to the customer service agent to appeal, either. In general, most airlines pay more attention to complaints from top-tier frequent fliers, especially customers who spend lots of money each year with the airline. Airlines track customers not by miles flown but by dollars spent, and high-dollar customers get more generous compensation when they complain. But airlines say all complaints do get heard, many get investigated and all get a response of some sort, even if it's only a formulaic apology. Most carriers say they track complaints and compile monthly summary reports for executives, and many say they forward the complaint to the employee involved and supervisors. The most efficient way for them to field complaints is by email -- letters get scanned electronically into computer systems, and airlines generally respond quicker to emails than to mailed letters. Automation is changing the airline complaint business. Many carriers now have systems that flag flights with lengthy airline-caused delays or nightmarish conditions, then generate letters of apology to passengers, some with offers of additional frequent-flier miles or vouchers offering discounts on future trips. There's a lot more airlines could do in the future, too. New systems are under development that will track passenger experience in airline computers. If airlines spend the money to install the systems, reservation computers could flag previous bad experiences. When you check in, the agent could apologize for the six-hour delay on your last trip, or your lost baggage, and offer a free upgrade or coupon for a snack or drink. Carriers say customers don't need to send complaints to the offices or emails of high-ranking executives -- complaints routinely get forwarded to the complaint department no matter how they come in. Some travel experts question that, suggesting that a slew of complaints to a CEO might catch the eye of an assistant doing the forwarding, and the trend might get mentioned. But there's little follow-up at airlines -- executives rarely follow complaints and inquire if they were ever resolved. American Airlines has 100 customer-service specialists to field complaints, but only those via letter, email or fax -- they don't take phone calls. Less than 5% of customers who complain send a second complaint saying they aren't happy with the response, something the company tracks closely, says Kurt Stache, president of American's frequent-flier program who also handles customer service. One who did send a second angry letter over a nightmare trip was Patrick Swan, whose wife, Chelly Bouferrache, had a laptop computer stolen from a bag that American lost during their honeymoon trip to Europe. The Alexandria, Va., couple endured late flights, missed connections and a night in an airport hotel. American paid more than $1,400 for the computer, even though its rules say the airline isn't responsible for electronic gear, and responded to the couple's initial complaint by offering them 10,000 extra frequent-flier miles each. Mr. Swan, particularly angry that American wouldn't take complaints by phone, fired off a second complaint asking for more. American said no. "We won't fly American Airlines again, except to use up 300,000 frequent-flier miles," Ms. Bouferrache said. American says it ended complaint phone banks to save money, and because the phone lines often had long waits, further angering customers. Ed Perkins, a travel expert at smartertravel.com, says if a second letter doesn't get the desired response, the only recourse travelers usually have is small-claims court. An airline ticket is a contract for service, and if the airline failed to live up to the terms spelled out in its "contract of carriage" (available on airline Web sites), you can pursue a claim in court. "You have to demonstrate some real loss, not just be mad that the flight attendant was snotty to you," Mr. Perkins said. Indeed, some consumer experts say traveler expectations are often out of synch with the reality of today's low-fare travel. With airlines still struggling for survival, "no one should expect a complaint to be adequately responded to," says Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America. Consumers are wise to protect themselves from potential problems -- avoid checking bags and connecting flights, if possible, or at least closely timed connections ripe for problems with delays. Don't book the last flight before a big meeting or a cruise-ship departure. Fly at off-peak times, give yourself plenty of time for security, and check complaint statistics and flight reliability. Write to Scott McCartney at middleseat@xxxxxxx <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".