Occasional bad service is inevitable. And it’s always a bummer — especially when you’re the recipient. Whether you’re dealing with airlines, cruise lines, travel agents, tour operators, hotels or car rental companies — hope I haven’t left anyone out — there’s always a possibility that something can go amiss.
For some people, the first instinct is to rant and rave and throttle someone. But the best first instinct is to take a deep breath. Perhaps you might want to sigh. You’ll take a big step toward resolving the problem if you keep your cool.
When things go wrong, chances are that somebody made a mistake. Nothing intentional. Someone simply goofed. A baggage handler inadvertently put your bag on the wrong conveyor. A waiter delivered an entree you didn’t order. A hotel screwed up your room reservation. Whatever.
Screaming and shouting won’t solve the problem. A calm conversation has a better chance of paving the way to a solution.
As Ed Perkins, a noted consumer advocate, observed: “Ninety percent of the problems in Washington are due to screwups rather than evil intentions. That’s probably true with most of the screwups in travel too. These companies are not deliberately trying to give you a bad time.”
It’s best to deal with problems when they occur, rather than letting them fester like a raw wound. In the case of an airline problem at the airport, talk to an airline customer service representative. In most instances, these reps have the authority to resolve problems on the spot.
They can help to track your lost luggage, write checks for denied boarding compensation, arrange meals and accommodations when appropriate and settle routine complaints, according to the Department of Transportation.
More than ever, the major carriers are acutely aware they must treat their customers courteously since they all signed onto the Air Transport Association’s 12-point plan to improve customer satisfaction — a move to stave off congressional action.
But passengers need to protect themselves as well. For example, check tickets to make certain that the flight information is correct. If you check luggage, look at the tags to see that they’re for the right destination. Don’t leave things to chance.
Cruise passengers also need to attack problems on the spot. “Do not wait until you get home to complain to the cruise line,” said Tim Gallagher, a Carnival Cruise Lines vice president. “Complain right on board. If you do that, more than likely your problem will be fixed before the end of the voyage.
“The crew wants you to be happy and they’re going to do their best to fix the problem.”
But, stressed Gallagher, “When you express your dissatisfaction, be polite. The people on board the ship really do want to help you. But you’re probably going to be far better received and far more credible if you are polite to them, rather than hostile.” If you have any other problem on board, go to the purser’s office, Gallagher said. “And if it’s something the purser’s staff can’t handle, make an appointment to meet with the hotel manager. If the problem can’t be rectified on board, then let the hotel manager know that you want your complaint to be on record — part of the voyage report. And get the name of someone to contact in guest relations or customer services. Don’t hesitate to send something in writing to the company.”
For letter writers, Perkins, a consumer advocate for the American Society of Travel Agents and former editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, offered this advice:
“First, be concise and zero in on one or two elements where it’s pretty clear that someone goofed up. Rambling five page letters that go on and on about this and that happening are pretty hard to respond to.
“Second, document specific out-of-pocket losses if you can (or if it’s germane to your problem).
“Third, always ask for something specific when you complain. A letter to an airline or cruise line telling how awful things were — I will never fly or cruise with you again and tell all my friends not to — is not designed to elicit a response. Document a money loss — if you lost a day of your vacation due to a problem, you might ask for a pro-rated refund. If it’s an airline- or cruise line-related and you can’t show a money loss, you might say this deserves 10,000 frequent flier miles or some sort of voucher. Remember, a supplier would rather give you a voucher or something for future services rather than cut you a check.
“Fourth, in most cases the most critical letter is your second letter because in a very high number of cases, your first letter will get a form letter response. So in the second letter you say, `no, I’m sorry you sent me a form letter response and I consider that inadequate. For the following reasons, let’s get back to my original proposal.”
Perkins stressed that points three and four are most crucial in the complaint process.
It’s also critical that consumers keep their ticket receipts, baggage checks, boarding passes and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. Airlines have committed to respond to written complaints within 60 days. For cruise lines and others, allow two to three weeks. Again, be concise.
In pursuing hotel complaints, it’s best to resolve the problem on the spot if you can. Tom Parsons, editor and publisher of Bestfares.com, suggests if you get a room that’s beneath the standard you’ve paid for, ask for another room. Perhaps you’ll be upgraded to a higher category. Or ask to be compensated with a free dinner for two or a free massage in the hotel’s health club. Whatever you do, approach the front desk calmly.
If you’ve got a problem with a travel agent, first deal with the agent directly. “We process travel-related complaints against ASTA members for consumers,” said Linda High, ASTA’s director of consumer affairs, “but the complaints have to do with travel arrangements purchased from an ASTA member.”
A consumer stonewalled by an agent can ask ASTA’s consumer affairs department to mediate the dispute. While ASTA, a trade organization, can’t compel a member to refund money or offer vouchers, “we can compel the member to give us a substantive response to the consumer’s complaint,” High said. “If they don’t respond, we can kick them out.”
ASTA processes between 800 and 1,000 complaints a year and resolves 95-98 percent of them, High said.
One thing for certain, complaints are on the rise. The latest Transportation Department Air Travel Consumer Report showed that consumers registered 1,700 complaints about airline service in November, up 5 percent from October, but well over double the 722 registered in November 1998.
The Better Business Bureau received 1,805 complaints against travel agents nationwide in 1998, its latest figure, up 2 percent from the previous year. The BBB handled 1,190 airline complaints in 1998, up 10 percent from 1997. Some 15 percent of the airline complaints were filed with the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, said James Baumgarten, its president.
Perkins theorized that travel complaints are on the rise because consumers can file them through Internet sites, not only the DOT’s site, but through free sites such as PassengerRights.com. PassengerRights, while hoping to sell you its newsletter, permits consumers to fill out an extensive complaint form which it will then forward to whomever they designate — airline, cruise line, hotel, car rental, tour operator — even President Clinton.
But don’t go crazy, sending your complaint right off the bat to newspapers, magazines, state attorneys general and board chairmen. “Only if you think you’re really being stonewalled do you start looking for outside help,” Perkins said.
Just remember to be civil when you launch your complaint. You’re more likely to come out a winner.
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Alfred Borcover’s e-mail address is aborcover@aol.com.
