The answer to this post’s title is, surprisingly, the same as the answer to the question, “What is America’s best-selling brand of adult diapers?” (Depends.)
If you’re dissatisfied with a travel experience, naturally your first line of defense is complaining to the company responsible for the issue. But if their response is unsatisfactory, or if they don’t respond at all, you have some options.
Depending on the circumstances, you could dispute the charge with your credit card company, file a complaint with a government agency (like a state attorney general’s office, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, etc.), or try the Better Business Bureau.
I’ll file a complaint with the BBB if I haven’t had any luck resolving the issue with the company (I would say I’ve filed about one complaint a year for the past five years or so). I’ve usually had really good results this way, but once or twice companies have ignored my BBB complaints (Uber, I’m looking at you).
Some things to keep in mind about the Better Business Bureau:
- They basically act as an intermediary between you and the business – you should complain to the BBB only after trying to resolve your issue with the company itself.
- They’re divided into regional offices, and your complaint is handled by the office that services the region in which the business you’re complaining about is located.
- They only handle complaints for companies with offices in the United States. However, plenty of foreign companies do maintain offices in the U.S.
- They review your complaint, forward it to the business, and then give them a certain period of time to respond to your issue. If the business doesn’t respond, the BBB closes your case.
- There is nothing compelling a business to respond to a BBB complaint, aside from the fact that companies that regularly fail to respond typically earn a failing rating from the BBB. (There are a few other elements that also factor into the BBB’s rating of a business, such as advertising issues and transparent business practices.)
Of the 3 biggest airlines in the U.S., interestingly, American earns an F from the Better Business Bureau, while Delta and United each earn an A+.
To me, this means you can expect prompt responses from Delta and United, while American might ghost you. Or, they may just take a really, really, really long time to review your complaint, as was the case for me.
My complaint
A little over two years ago, I had an issue with American. Long story short, I received a $500 voucher for them for volunteering to take a later flight (score!), and when I tried to mail it in to redeem it, they misplaced it. (There was a happy ending: after about three months, they found it and mailed it back to me.)
At the time, I got nowhere with American’s customer service, so I filed a BBB complaint. American did not respond to it.
Well, last week I received this e-mail:
This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 7/30/2015 against American Airlines.
The business has sent the BBB a message regarding this complaint, and we are passing it on to you. The contents of this message are below or attached. All responses will be copied to the company. Please respond within 6 calendar days or the complaint will be closed as assumed resolved. The text of your response may be publicly posted on the BBB Web Site (BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy). Please do not include any personally identifiable information in your response. By submitting your complaint, you are representing that it is a truthful account of your experience with the business. BBB may edit your complaint to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language.
MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:
American Airlines has indicated that they’ve received your correspondence and have responded accordingly. Given that they’ve address your concern/question, they have since closed your file. If you need any further assistance from American, visit them at aa.com.
This makes me wonder if American is only now getting around to looking at complaints filed two years ago, or if maybe they’ve recently turned over a new leaf when it comes to responding to customers. Either way, it was amusing.
American, I’ve moved on with my life. You should too. It’s not healthy to be stuck in the past!
Have you tried using the Better Business Bureau to resolve a complaint with a travel company? How’d it go?
BEWARE OF THEFT ON KLM FLIGHTS
I have been flying regularly on KLM for years since my work takes me between the London and any part of the world I am going often, and KLM has the best flight. I have always loved the airline and told everyone that it was my favorite. But recently I had an experience with KLM that did not live up to the usually great service.
On 19th of...
BEWARE OF THEFT ON KLM FLIGHTS
I have been flying regularly on KLM for years since my work takes me between the London and any part of the world I am going often, and KLM has the best flight. I have always loved the airline and told everyone that it was my favorite. But recently I had an experience with KLM that did not live up to the usually great service.
On 19th of February 2023 I took a flight from ghana to london my hand luggage was taken at the gate and some important items were stolen from my hand baggage. I realized this immediately and reported it, asking for some kind of response to address what happened. I told them that what was important for me was not a reimbursement, which would be a relatively small cash value, but instead some type of response that, if not getting my things back, would at least help others avoid similar problems in the future.
KLM's responded about a damaged bag that I was going to be compensated for, again I explained my bag was not damaged it was broken into all my phone’s jewellery iPod ear pods was taken out and the thief put his own padlock on . On arrival at london city I had to take my bag to customs for them to break the lock on . Since it was not mine I had no way of opening once I got home. Immediately I was asked to do a police report and a report to KLM. It’s been 48 hours and I am still waiting for any real investigation.
The message that this sends is that they don't care about theft or the problems that it causes for their passengers (they seem to hope affected people will just shut up if they pay a small sum). I've always thought KLM was a great airline, which is why their failure to address theft on their flights is so disappointing.
Summary: KLM DOES NOT CARE IF YOUR BAGGAGE IS LOOTED
On cancellation of my flight from Los Angeles to Dallas American Airlines offered return flight tickets for me and wife, senior citizens from India next day morning at 10:30 AM. Before confirmation my call was put on hold. It remained hanged up over two and a half hours. On resumption of the call tickets were no more available. We were given flight tickets after forty-three hours. That was just unbearable for us. I tried to...
On cancellation of my flight from Los Angeles to Dallas American Airlines offered return flight tickets for me and wife, senior citizens from India next day morning at 10:30 AM. Before confirmation my call was put on hold. It remained hanged up over two and a half hours. On resumption of the call tickets were no more available. We were given flight tickets after forty-three hours. That was just unbearable for us. I tried to draw attention of Mr Doug Parker, Mr Robert Isom and other dignitaries as the Customer Relations said that putting my call on hold for such long duration is no fault. Keeping us waiting for whole night by giving us stand by tickets is just unbecoming of an organisation who doesn't care about ethics. I have raised a complaint with BBB, but BBB closed the Complaint on basis of AA's response. I also have raised this issue to Air consumer Complaint with DOT. Reply awaited.
I reported CheapTickets to the BBB after their worthless customer service reps told me they would refund my airfare (within my 24 hour purchase window) but failed to do so. When I called them back, after my 24 hour window, of course they didn't want to give me the refund.
After I filed a dispute with Amex and the BBB, they responded with a 'courtesy' refund. I still was not happy because the refund was...
I reported CheapTickets to the BBB after their worthless customer service reps told me they would refund my airfare (within my 24 hour purchase window) but failed to do so. When I called them back, after my 24 hour window, of course they didn't want to give me the refund.
After I filed a dispute with Amex and the BBB, they responded with a 'courtesy' refund. I still was not happy because the refund was owed to me, and wasn't done as a 'courtesy'. I don't do business with CheapTickets or whoever owns them (Orbitz I think) anymore.
Speaking from my experience: one DOT complaint against an airline, two BBB complaints (one against an accredited computer store, one against a non-accredited furniture store). All three resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.
Just my personal experience; worth it each time.
@Icarus, American (and US Air before them) still issues some certificates that you have to print out and physically mail in. One example was the companion certificate that you got with one of the US Air credit cards. You had to mail it somewhere in North Carolina. We did this once or twice and were luckier than Andrew as they did not get lost, but still the possibility for that happening is too high.
I'll go with most of the others. I wouldn't bother complaining to the BBB. Take it to the credit card, take it to a government agency, anyone they *have* to pay attention to. The BBB they can just ignore.
It is time to break them up. Market monopoly leads to shitty and manipulated service. Some routes and hubs are in the total control of a single carrier.
Transportation is a vital and strategic structure of a nation. if Government allowed this monopoly, then government should beak it up.
Competition is healthy. Monopoly leads to chaos. Write to your congressmen and women, your senators.
Break them up!
BBB is a useless organization...don't bother.
America, good luck with American!
most airlines only issue electronic vouchers that you can redeem online or by calling the reservations department quoting the voucher number
If you lost the original email containing the details it should have easily been resolved
This was a 60 minute piece a few years back. The BBB charges businesses membership fees. It just so hapoens that if a business pays the BBB the enormous fee, they get A plus ratings. American doesn't pay.
Given the sorry state of Airlines today it us obvious that making a complaint yo the BBB will solve nothing. The BBB is not a government entity.
If any of government institutions done their job correctly (don't need to go above and beyond at all), we wouldn't see stupid-funny news regarding TSA. What makes you think BBB any different or better maybe? Stop daydreaming.
BBB A ratings are for sale for something like $480. I wouldn't trust any rating they publish as being true.
Does nobody else think it odd the disparity between the grades for AA and UA/DL while their overall marks are fairly comparable? This tells me the BBB grading system is either highly flawed or is too dependent upon the airlines responding. I would like to see the scoring criteria as I've heard rumors that BBB accepts payment to raise ratings artificially.
Can anyone confirm that?
The BBB is a for-profit, non-governmental organization that sells A ratings to small businesses for a few hundred dollars. It's not a real thing, but rather a sort of pre-Internet, Yelp-like concept - with the same quasi-extortionist business model.
The Consumer Protection Bureau is a governmental department aimed at recording, investigating, and reducing fraudulent business practices. This is always where complaints should be aimed, in my opinion. For airlines specifically, the DOT website Rjb...
The BBB is a for-profit, non-governmental organization that sells A ratings to small businesses for a few hundred dollars. It's not a real thing, but rather a sort of pre-Internet, Yelp-like concept - with the same quasi-extortionist business model.
The Consumer Protection Bureau is a governmental department aimed at recording, investigating, and reducing fraudulent business practices. This is always where complaints should be aimed, in my opinion. For airlines specifically, the DOT website Rjb mentioned works too.
Are use the DOT site to file complaints against airlines when they have clearly not lived up to the conditions of carriage contract. I have found that this is a very effective way to voice my displeasure and I always get a response in a reasonable period of time from the airline. Since my complaints are not frivolous, they always get resolved.
American has been completely ignoring a complaint submitted to them by me and my +1 for a couple months. We have both been EXP's for over 10 years. Not happy. We will probably continue giving them lots if business, but when the opportunity to take advantage of them comes along, it will be utilized.
Luckily for me I have had no problems with American recently on getting refunds or getting compensated for delayed flights, broken seats, horrible FA Service. I have usually
Written a lot of positive reviews for their service as well. I have done my fair share of complaints. I understand their low rating but for me an EXP they are trying in my perspective. As long as I am on one of their new planes...
Luckily for me I have had no problems with American recently on getting refunds or getting compensated for delayed flights, broken seats, horrible FA Service. I have usually
Written a lot of positive reviews for their service as well. I have done my fair share of complaints. I understand their low rating but for me an EXP they are trying in my perspective. As long as I am on one of their new planes or unless I have to fly MAD Dog 80 flights between STL-ORD, DFW I will be satisfied.
This is like the companies who reject you six months after you sent in an application and never so much as had a phone interview.
File complaints with DOT, which in my view is very responsive. I filed one after Lufthansa never replied to my complaint about being totally unreachable during one of their regularly-scheduled wildcat strikes that suddenly saw me automatically rebooked on Delta with no way to get to my original destination. Lufthansa's US Public Relations called me after DOT contacted them on my behalf.
https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint
BBB in my view doesn't have the big claws for stuff...
File complaints with DOT, which in my view is very responsive. I filed one after Lufthansa never replied to my complaint about being totally unreachable during one of their regularly-scheduled wildcat strikes that suddenly saw me automatically rebooked on Delta with no way to get to my original destination. Lufthansa's US Public Relations called me after DOT contacted them on my behalf.
https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint
BBB in my view doesn't have the big claws for stuff like this.