Commercial Airline Issue? Car Rental Issue? Hotel Issue?

Commercial Airline Issue

Delayed Flight? Each airline has its own policy regarding delayed flights; there are no federal requirements. If you are delayed, ask the airline staff if they will pay for meals or a phone call. Some airlines, often those charging very low fares, do not provide any amenities to stranded passengers. Others may not offer amenities if the delay is caused by bad weather or something else beyond the airlines control.

HINT: STICK CLOSE TO THE GATE in the event of a delay. If the flight is cancelled, you will be the first in line to get space on alternate flights.

Cancelled Flight? - If your flight is cancelled, most airlines will rebook you on the next available flight to your destination. This is generally done at no additional charge (including first class). If this process involves a significant delay ask the airline to book you on another carrier or request that the airline pay for your meal or a phone call. Contrary to popular belief, airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled.

HINT: In the event of an unexpected flight cancellation and if there are a number of passengers ahead of you at the ticket counter or boarding gate, call Travel-On and ask the representative to book you on the next available flight. The phone call to Travel-On will allow you to immediately lock into a new flight and will save you the wait in line.

Missed Connections? - If you miss your connection flight you should check with airline for alternatives. Airlines are not required to provide overnight accommodations or meals to travelers stranded because of a missed connection. However, most airline personnel are empowered to accommodate the needs of the traveler and you are encouraged to ask that your needs be met by the airline.

Overbooked Flight? - If your flight is oversold the airline will ask for volunteers to give up their seats willingly in exchange for payment designated by the airline. If there are not enough volunteers you may be involuntarily denied boarding. If this happens, you may be entitled to "denied boarding compensation".

HINT: The best way to avoid getting "bumped" is to check in early.

Voluntary Bump? - If you volunteer to be bumped, there are no regulations as to how much an airline has to pay you (see section above entitled Overbooking). This means carriers may negotiate with you for a mutually acceptable amount of money, a free trip, meal voucher, overnight accommodations, and/or other benefits including upgrade certificates.

HINT: If the airline offers you a free ticket, ask about restrictions. How long are the tickets valid? Can it be used for International flights? Are there black-out periods during holiday season when you may want to use it?

Involuntary Bump? - If you are involuntarily bumped by an airline you may be entitled to an on-the-spot payment of "denied boarding compensation" (see section above titled Overbooking). To be eligible for denied compensation you must:

  • have a confirmed reservation
  • meet the check-in deadline designated by the airline (most domestic airlines have a 30 minute prior to departure check-in deadline).

The amount of compensation depends on the price of your tickets and the length of the delay. If the airline gets you to your destination within one hour of your original arrival time, there is not compensation due. Typical compensation for domestic delays: between one and two hours = $200 maximum; more than four hours = $400 maximum. International delays greater than four hours = $800 maximum. Compensation may exceed these amounts during peak travel times, such as holidays, when airlines are typically booked beyond capacity.

HINT: If you are bumped involuntarily, attempt to negotiate for the maximum value you can. You may be surprised by what you get! Amenities such as free phone calls, overnight accommodations, upgrade certificates, and meals are typical examples of compensation.

No "Denied Boarding Compensation" Due:

  • If the airline must substitute a smaller plane for the one originally planned.
  • If the flight is a charter, commuter flight, or plane which holds 60 or fewer passengers.
  • If the airline gets you to your destination within one hour (four hours for international travel) of the original arrival time.
  • If you are offered a seat in another class of service other than was specified on the ticket.
  • If you get bumped from a flight anywhere other than in the U.S., these rules do not necessarily apply. Airlines in some parts of the world offer more special treatment while others offer you none.

No Reservation? - If you arrive at the airline ticket counter or gate and find the airline has no record of your reservation, the flight is full, and you do not have a confirmation number, call Travel-On to make alternate flight arrangements.

Trip in Vain? - If en route, you are faced with such a long delay whereby the purpose of the trip cannot be fulfilled (i.e. you miss a meeting), your trip may be considered a "trip in vain", in which case the airline may agree to refund you for the portion of the ticket used as well as the flight home. You will need to be proactive in explaining your circumstances to the airline in order to seek such compensation.

HINT: If the purpose of your trip is to close a potentially lucrative business deal, to give a speech, or to be present at any time-sensitive event, you might want to allow a little extra leeway when booking your flight. Remember that an early departure in the day is less likely to be delayed than a later flight, due to "ripple" effects throughout the day. Also, if an early flight is cancelled or delayed, you have more routing options than if you are booked on a later flight.

Tips for Travelers:

Check-in at the airline gate. Even though you have a boarding pass, airlines can assign your seat to someone else if you have not checked-in 30 minutes prior to departure.

In the event of a delay, stick close to the gate. If the flight is cancelled, you will be the first-in-line to reserve an alternate flight.

Experts concur that your best negotiating position occurs at the moment of conflict. The kind of action you get depends in a large part on the way you go about complaining and negotiating. Remember, it pays to stay calm when stating your problem.

Car Rental

No Reservation? - If upon arrival at the car rental counter you are told they do not show a reservation for you, no cars are available, and you do not have a confirmation number, proceed to the nearest car rental company to obtain a car. Also consider calling Travel-On to make a reservation. Our system will readily show availability as well as the lowest rental rates.

HINT: Off-airport car rental agencies generally offer lower rates.

Rental Location Overbooked? - If you have a confirmation number and the rental location is sold out of the type of car booked then an upgrade to the next size vehicle at no additional cost is a possibility. Should the rental company be completely sold out of vehicles, they usually attempt to get you a rental through another car rental company with a comparable size and rate. However, if the rate is more expensive, then the original car rental company should reimburse you for the difference in the rates.

HINT: Always be sure to inspect the vehicle and report any damage prior to driving off the lot.

If you have any problems with the vehicle during the rental, you will need to contact the car rental company for assistance.

You may want to deny the fuel option, but be sure to fill the vehicle before returning it.

It is a good idea to check your final bill for rate accuracy prior to leaving location so any discrepancies can be handled immediately.

If you rented from a car rental agency other than your company's preferred car rental company and require reimbursement for a rate difference, you may submit a copy of the rental agreement with a copy of your itinerary showing the preferred car rental agency's confirmation number to your firm's travel manager or the Travel-On Account Manager assigned to your firm.

Hotel Accommodation

No Reservations? - When checking into a hotel if you are told they do not show a reservation for you, and you do not have a hotel confirmation number, contact Travel-On to obtain an alternate hotel.

Hotel Overbooked? - Hotels, like airlines, confirm reservations beyond capacity in anticipation of no shows and last minute cancellations. If you have a confirmation number and your hotel is guaranteed for late arrival, you are entitled to a room. If the hotel is sold out, most hotels will pay for your first nights lodging and transportation to a nearby hotel.

Effective Planning

If you feel a problem has not been resolved to your satisfaction at the airport and you want to file a complaint, you can contact the Client Services Department of Travel-On or contact the airline directly. Before you call or write the DOT for help with an air travel problem, you should give Travel-On or the airline a chance to resolve it.

Travel-On Customer Service Dept
Vice President of Client Services
Customer Feedback Form
Car Rental Survey

 America West Airlines
Customer Relations
4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85034		 American Airlines, Inc.
Customer Relations
P.O. Box 619612
MD2400
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9612
Continental Airlines
Customer Care
P.O. Box 4607-HQSCR
Houston, TX 77210-4607		 Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Customer Care
P.O. Box 20980
Dept. 980
Atlanta, GA 30320		 Northwest/KLM Airlines
Customer Care Department
P.O. Box 1908
Minot, ND 58702
United Airlines
Customer Relations
Department WHQPW
P.O. Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666		 US Airways
Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 1501
Winston-Salem, NC 27102 – 1501		  

Following are some helpful guidelines when writing to the airline:

  1. Keep letter brief and to the point, describing what happened making sure to include names of employees with whom you dealt, date, time and place of incident.
  2. Include copies of travel documents; ticket receipts, boarding passes, and baggage stubs as well as receipts for any out-of -pocket expenses that were incurred as a result of the incident.
  3. Type letter on your company letterhead and copy Travel-On.
  4. Include your return address and daytime telephone number in your letter.
  5. Be reasonable. State what you expect the carrier to do to make amends. An airline may offer to settle your claim with a check or some other kind of compensation, possibly free transportation. You might want a written apology from a rude employee or reimbursement for some loss you incurred - but the airline needs to know what you want before it can be decided what action to take.

If you follow these guidelines, the airlines will probably treat your complaint seriously. Your letter will assist in determining what caused the problem as well as suggest actions to help prevent the same thing from happening to others.

If you have written the airline and you feel your problem has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you may want to call or write to file a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT) at (202) 366-2220 or write:

U.S. Department of Transportation
Aviation Consumer Protection C-75
Room 4107
400 7th Street S.W.
Washington, DC 20950

 
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