While anticipating the next round of Hawaii travel deals this week, we had an interesting email from a reader worth sharing. Have you ever had an airline problem on your Hawaii vacation or elsewhere and wondered what to do about it? Beat of Hawaii reader John wrote to us about his recent experience on American Airlines:
Problem: John had just arrived for a vacation on Kauai and went to pick up his luggage. He found the zipper was demolished, there were stains all over the new suitcase, the outside was bent and the pull handle no longer worked. The Lihue agent told John that broken zippers are not covered and the stain no doubt came from the carousel. He was given a claim form to fill out but was told to not expect anything in return.
Resolution: John wasn’t satisfied and took matters into his own hands. He took photos of the damaged luggage and wrote an explanation of what had occurred. He sent it on to the Customer Service Department of American Airlines. He later received a letter of apology, a check to replace the suitcase and a credit on the $25 luggage fee.
Comment: Please sound off about your experiences about complaining to airlines when issues arise.
Do You Know? Another time complaining pays off is when your luggage is not delivered within 20 minutes of landing on Alaska Airlines. If this ever happens to you on a Alaska Airlines flight, go to the agent and ask for your $25 discount code for a future flight or 2,500 miles.
Our Suggestions:
- Deal with the situation immediately.
- Document the issue clearly and use photography where appropriate.
- Be courteous rather than adversarial. Show that you are a partner in the solution.
- If you don’t get satisfaction initially, try escalating the matter locally or to the airline headquarters.
- Learn and understand rules associated with lost and delayed baggage, overbooking and delays.
In all my years of travel I have had only one serious problem with a damaged bag, and, interestingly enough, it was the day I was thinking my suitcase was too heavy and big and I really wanted a new one.
When I got to baggage claim in Albuquerque and discovered the now-trashed bag, I complained to the USAirways fellow in the baggage claim office. At first he declined to take responsibility. When I pressed a little, he opened a door into a back room that had several brand new suitcases. He grabbed one off the shelf for me and I was on my way, new suitcase in tow!
I was very grateful, of course.
I was on a flight from San Francisco to Honolulu on 12.21.2015. Flight was around 5 hours late leaving due to weather of incoming flight, and then change in aircraft. Didn’t need to complain, I was ready to the next day, but received an e-mail from United apologizing and $125 credit for my next flight, good for a year. I know UAL has had problems in the past but I stuck with them, and it paid off. I was most appreciative.
I recently booked two tickets from Cleveland to Kauai on Travelocity on American Airlines. Two weeks after booking, the fare went down $250 per ticket. Neither Travelocity nor American Airlines would issue a credit adjustment for my $500. Travelocity says I had 24 hours after booking to get a credit adjustment. American says if I had booked directly with them, they would have issued a credit. I’m sure the airlines make a lot of money on this “ticket fare roulette.” Is it too much trouble for them to give credit adjustments?
The airline stewardess spelt tomato juice on my husband and he had to sit in wet stickly tan shorts. We were in first class and all Hawaiian Airlines said was to mail the shorts to the, at our cost, for them to try to get the stain out. It would had cost more than just buying a new pair. I thought they cared more for their First Class passengers.
This is stupid. Change the dam shorts. It’s an airplane. People spill things going that fast in the sky and sometimes it’s bumpy. It’s not the end of the world. Dump people I swear.
Delta also offers a 20-minute baggage guarantee. Passengers receive 2,500 and it is very easy to file for through Delta’s website. At least, that was the case in July 2015.
That should read 2,500 miles.
Just to clarify the damage was done to our suitcase on the trip home between Lihue and LAX, either during loading or unloading of the luggage. The agent who we complained to and was told that they wouldn’t do anything about the damage was in the LAX terminal.
Hi John,
Thanks for the clarification and for sharing the experience with our readers.
Aloha.
I would like to say MAHALO to Linda Mendez, Specialist Baggage Resolution at the Central Baggage Resolution Office of American Airlines in Phoenix, Arizona for the quick handling and resolution of our suitcase damage.
My wife and I recently flew to Oahu from LA on Hawaiian Airlines. The couple in front of us was sick, and they coughed and sneezed throughout the whole trip, including their unruly 3 year old son, who ran up and down and aisles screaming for much of the 6 hour flight.
When we got to Oahu, next day I had the familiar scratchy throat and within a day it was a full blown flu, which my wife caught, and our vacation was ruined, one week later we both flew home sick on an equally miserable flight of screaming babies and kids, on which we no doubt infected a few passengers that sat near us.
(Add to this we were sick for another week after that!)
What is the best way to handle screaming kids and 2) is there travel insurance if you get sick and must fly home early?
Hi M.
Wow, what a story. Not sure what do say but luckily we’ll have some helpful readers who may chime in. Someone suggested to us wearing germ mask.
.
Yes there is travel insurance but you may have needed to visit a doctor.
Aloha.