|
Win the war in the air
|
 |
September 12, 2000: 6:04 a.m. ET
Don't be shot down by flight delays and other air travel grief
By Staff Writer Rob Lenihan
|
NEW YORK (CNNfn) - For many travelers flying has turned into a dogfight.
Canceled or delayed flights, overbooked planes, crowded airports — just what happened to this whole miracle of flight thing, anyway?
Yes, these experiences are frustrating, and a quick look around the air terminal will prove you are most definitely not alone — far from it. The volume of consumer complaints climbed 130 percent in 1999 over the previous year, according to a study citing statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Flight problems — cancellations, delays, missed connections — were the No.1 complaint, followed by customer service and baggage problems. The numbers translate into real-life disappointments and misery as consumers see their business and vacation plans inconvenienced or ruined.
Airline industry officials say summer thunderstorms and an antiquated air traffic control system have been major factors behind the delays. Some air travelers are fed up with excuses and have banded together to demand satisfaction.
What can you do if you think you've been shot down by an airline? Experts say above all, you should keep calm. Screaming your lungs out at a low-level employee will accomplish nothing and, if you get too excited, you may be end up telling your story to a judge.
Cabin pressures
The DOT tracks the performance of the 10 major airlines and compiles the data in the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. The report, available on the DOT Web site, contains data regarding on-time performance, mishandled baggage, oversold flights and customer complaints.
In July, Continental Airlines Inc. (CAL: Research, Estimates) came in first, with an 80.1 percent on-time arrival record. The airline was followed by Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV: Research, Estimates) at 78.5 percent and Northwest Airlines (NWAC: Research, Estimates) at 77.9 percent.
The rest of the major airlines were listed as follows:
- Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL: Research, Estimates) at 76.1 percent.
- Trans World Airlines (TWA: Research, Estimates) at 74.4 percent.
- American Airlines, a subsidiary of AMR Corp. (AMR: Research, Estimates), at 73.9 percent.
- US Airways Group (U: Research, Estimates) at 70.5 percent.
- Alaska Air Group (ALK: Research, Estimates) at 64.8 percent.
- America West Airlines, a subsidiary of America West Holdings Corp. (AWA: Research, Estimates), at 64.4 percent.
- United Air Lines, a subsidiary of UAL Corp. (UAL: Research, Estimates), at 41.7 percent. United, the world's No.1 air carrier, has been plagued by labor problems this summer.
 Continental, TWA and Southwest also scored well on a recent survey conducted by marketing information services firm J.D. Power and Associates and Frequent Flyer magazine.
The study, released in May, said Continental had the highest ranking in both long-haul flights -- those over 500 miles — and short-haul flights.
"The industry-leading performances of Continental and TWA can be attributed to their efforts to encourage employees to listen and respond to the needs of their passengers," said Mike Taylor, director of travel services at J.D. Power.
While industry leaders have continued to improve their performance in both categories, the same study found the short-haul segment had seen an overall decline in customer satisfaction, with only three carriers at or above the industry average compared to six in the 1999 study.
Before the fact
Paul Hudson, executive director of the Aviation Consumer Action Project, said the best option for the air traveler is to try and avoid the problems in the first place. He suggests travelers check the on-time statistic of the flight they are taking with the airline's reservation agent.
 "You can check the on-time statistics of different flights and you'll be shocked," he said. "On the same day, to the same destination, you'll find less than 20 percent to over 80 percent."
Hudson also advised checking the Federal Aviation Authority's Air Traffic Control System Command Center on the day you are leaving. The site provides information about delays at major airports throughout the country. An FAA spokesman advised consumers to also check with the airlines for specific in-flight information.
"You should have a Plan B," Hudson said. "One of four flights is delayed for over an hour and one out of 30 is canceled."
Try to avoid some of the popular travel times, which Hudson said during the week is between 6:30 and 8:30 am and between 4 and 6 pm. On the weekends, Friday afternoon and evening, along with Sunday night, are very popular.
Hudson said his organization is pushing for a truth in scheduling rule that would, among other items, bar airlines from operating a flight that is less than 20 percent on time, as it would be deemed a "deceptively scheduled flight."
Evasive Action
If something goes wrong with your flight, don't wait. Dean Headley, faculty associate of the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University, said if your flight is canceled, start making phone calls as soon as you get the news.
"From the moment you know you're nailed," said Headley, co-author of the Airline Quality Rating, "you need to start making arrangements."
If you're a member of the air carrier's frequent flier program, call the toll-free number and book another flight ASAP. You can also call the airline's reservation desk. Other air  lines may accept your ticket, as long as it's a paper one. Currently, airlines do not accept e-tickets from other carriers.
Another option, Headley said, is to join an airline's airport club. Primarily for business travelers, the clubs have a reserved place for members at airports and usually have ticket reservation agents available.
"They cost about $100 or $200 a year," he said. "You only have to get messed up once or twice a year to make those things pay."
If you really must get to a location by a certain time, Headley suggested taking a flight on the previous evening and getting a hotel room for the night. While this will be an added expense, Headley said the move is probably worthwhile, especially for important business meetings.
Complaint Dept.
If you're unhappy with your airline's service, express your frustration, both at the time of the incident and later on in writing. Headley said you should make your case quietly, but forcefully, describing how the airline should fix the problem.
"Then go up the chain of command," he said. "Write a letter to the president of the airline. If you complain to the president and he sees something enough times, he'll say 'what are we doing to fix this?' If you tell the gate agents they've screwed up, do you think they'll tell their boss?"
You can also file a complaint with the DOT. You can send an e-mail to airconsumer@ost.dot.gov or by regular mail at the Department of Transportation, C-75, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, D.C., 20590. Also, you can call the Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 202-366-2220 at any time to record a complaint.
If you find the complaint system too overwhelming, the Web site TravelProblems.com charges a flat $30 fee for complaint management, which includes all correspondence, telephone calls, faxes and e-mails. And PassengerRights.com provides consumers with an online complaint service. 
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
