Airlines falling short when it comes to dealing with complaints
Only 29% of consumers are ‘satisfied’ with how airlines deal with flight delays or other common problems, according to new research by the Civil Aviation Authority.
A third of the complainants said they were ‘not satisfied’ with how their complaint was handled.
New research from the CAA, which questioned a total of 7,000 UK passengers, found 89% are satisfied with air travel.
But frustrations became apparent when asked about the quality of support and information they were given during travel disruption, which includes delays and cancellations.
The research found less than a third (31%) of those who experienced a delay of two hours of more were satisfied with how they were treated.
Just 32% per cent were happy with the support provided when luggage was lost, stolen or damaged.
Only 18% per cent of those who encountered disruption were satisfied with the length of queues and crowding at UK airports.
Of those who complained, 37% were dissatisfied with how well informed they were kept about their complaint and 35% were dissatisfied with how helpful and friendly the people dealing with their complaint were.
Likewise, 34% were dissatisfied with any redress offered as a result of their complaint and 31% were dissatisfied with how fairly they were treated.
The CAA said its survey found that consumer satisfaction levels increase significantly when customers escalate their complaint to a third party.
Only 29% of those who did not escalate to another organisation were satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, compared to 49% of those who did escalate.
The CAA is therefore urging more airlines to join its Alternative Dispute Resolution schemes, which means passengers can get an independent and legally binding resolution where disputes occur.
While 27 airlines have signed up to ADR, the CAA is now urging the remaining 30% of the UK’s airline market to agree terms.
Notable airlines which have not signed up to ADR include Virgin Atlantic, Jet2 and Ryanair.
The CAA is urging the remaining airlines to get on board and says if improvements aren’t made, it will use its enforcement powers.
CAA’s Policy Director Tim Johnson said: "It is clear there are many aspects the industry is getting right but there are some areas, including how passengers are treated during and after disruption and how they manage complaints, where some of the industry is currently falling short.
"While many of the largest UK airlines have now signed up to ADR, we are now urging all remaining airlines to get on board with ADR, and improve the passenger experience when complaints are made.
"If improvements are not delivered and we continue to see dissatisfaction we will not hesitate to use our regulatory and enforcement powers."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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