Airline treat you badly? Here’s how and when to complain to the DOT

A phone call usually does little to make an airline play nice — unless that phone call comes from the government. That's one takeaway from a recent incident involving 13 passengers unwillingly bumped and improperly compensated from an American Airlines flight. The passengers filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT), and with Uncle Sam at their back, got American Airlines to cough up $848 per person. Plus, the airline was hit with a $20,000 fine.

Nowadays, complaining appears part and parcel to travel, and it only takes a quick sweep across Twitter at any time to see proof. But when is it worth transforming 140 characters into a formal complaint with the DOT, especially considering not complaining can mean losing out on hundreds of dollars in potential compensation? And what’s the best way to complain?

The process is relatively easy, and complaint forms are now online (a mailing address and phone number are also available but take more time). All you need is to input your personal info, airline and flight details, and description of the incident, then, upload any supporting documents like photos. After that, just click the submit button and, voila.

From there, the complaint is entered into the “DOT's computerized aviation industry monitoring system,” and becomes part of the stats in the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, which is distributed to the industry and made accessible to media and the general public. It then gets forwarded to the airline. The DOT requires airlines to acknowledge the complaint within 30 days and send "a substantive response" within 60 days of receiving it.

If your reward is purely the visceral venting of your frustrations, by all means, go ahead. However, if you actually want to get financial compensation, consider these issues before submitting.

Know the airline policy: Beyond the minimum federal requirements, airlines more or less set their own policies about flight delays, lost luggage, compensation, and the like, so it’s a good idea to read the fine print before making a complaint, as there may not be any actual violation.

Try to solve the issue with the airline first: Although it may sometimes feel like beating your head against a wall, it’s worth trying to work out a deal with the airline directly before complaining to the DOT. Don’t be afraid to counter the airline’s first offer with one of your own. It's a classic negotiation. Plus, if you are a regular flier with the airline, it will probably want to keep you happy, especially if you have any kind of membership status.

Make sure you have the facts straight: It won’t help your complaint if you can’t recall half the details. Be sure to record them at the time of the event or as soon as possible after. Supporting evidence helps a lot too, so take a picture, note down names, save luggage tags, and any other related material. It’s the facts that will win you compensation, not impressions or passion.

Keep your complaint short, sweet, and professional: Rambling tirades are far less effective than a to-the-point, concise complaint. Keep it 250 words or less and be sure to use proper grammar, spelling, and professional language. It will help them take you seriously.

Be clear about what you want: Keep your demands realistic and clear. Asking for $5 million because your $7.99 for in-flight DirecTV didn’t work on the flight probably won’t get you far;  a reasonable amount, or even simple apology, might.