How to Get Compensated From Airlines – Fast!
If you’re wondering how to get compensated from airlines, you’ve come to the right place. Lost Baggage, Entertainment Screen Doesn’t Work – We’ve got you covered. You may have your favorite airline, where it’s always been a pleasure to sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight. On the other hand, you might also have an airline that you dread boarding because you know something is going to go wrong. For me, that’s Delta.
Atlanta is the hub for Delta Airlines and I have a husband who proudly earned platinum medallion status with Delta. He is willing to pay more to fly Delta in the hopes of being upgraded or simply maintaining status. Unfortunately, flying with Delta sucks. The upside – we always get compensated.
I would say 4 out of 5 times that I fly Delta, I have an issue. I’m sure you have experienced an issue as well. Perhaps, they lost your bag or a staff member provided particularly poor customer service. So, what do you do when you want compensation from airlines?
5 Easy Tips on How To Get Compensated From Airlines
1. Complain as soon as possible.
I understand no one wants to take time out of their vacation to complain, but the sooner you do this, the better your results. The situation is fresh in your mind and you will have a lot of details.
2. Obtain evidence.
Before you leave on a flight, I recommend taking a few photos of the contents of your bag, just in case anything goes missing. You will also need to provide some basic information such as your flight number, seat number, etc. If you arrive at your seat and its surrounded by leftover food and garbage, take a photo. This will strengthen your claim.
3. Complain to the appropriate person.
If you are having an in-flight issue, voice your concerns to the flight attendant. Every Delta flight attendant has the ability to provide compensation on the spot: miles or a choice select gift (This can be a gift card from Delta, Amazon, etc.) If your bag is damanged, head over to the baggage office in the airport. Airlines tend to have fine print in their polcies that state you won’t be reimbursed unless they physically examine your bag.
4. Always escalate the issue to a manager.
I don’t care what a customer service rep. says – “That’s all we can do.” That is a lie. Perhaps, that’s all that customer service rep. can do, but managers have the authorization to provide more compensation. If you don’t feel their response is fair, kindly ask to be to a supervisor and keep escalating it to a person of authority who can help you.
5. Social media is powerful – use it.
If you don’t have a Twttter account, get one for the sole purpose of communicating with Delta. Delta will respond to your questions and concerns within minutes. I have gotten more compensation via social media than calling Delta directly. I believe this is the case because Twitter is a public platform and other people can learn of your concerns with the company. This motivates Delta to act.
I have been compenstated by the airlines for the following issues: entertainment screen/system not working, USB port not working, having an unknown substance drip on me throughout a flight, leftover food and garbage on and around my seat in business class on arrival, and of course, those times the staff informs us that they ran out of food/liquor options in business class. These are minor issues. When it happens 4 out of 5 times you fly with Delta, it becomes a poor standard that is consistently maintained.
Now, you know how to get compensated from airlines for any misshaps. Below is the sotry of my biggest issue and biggest payout from an irline – keep readinf if you’re curious.
My biggest complaint with Delta
My husband has just recently started to see the light of Delta’s ways, as we traveled to the beautiful island of Seychelles. Our flight leg started in Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport and ended in Paris, France (Paris Charles De Gaulle airport.)
Let’s set the scene, the flight from Atlanta to Paris is 9 hours. We are so excited and this marked my husband’s first time to the continent of Africa. My husband offers to take the middle seat (good man), and I have the aisle.
At first, I noticed that we had a menu! We were seated in economy class, but I already feel that I’m in business class with the menu. We have options. We could order the herb roasted chicken piccata with lemon caper sauce, the burrato raviolli in pomodra with tuscan tomato and pesto, and then the thai chicken salad with seasame ginger dressing. Contrary to popular belief, I’ve tasted delicious airplane food, but this wasn’t it. I mostly stay away from the main entree and devour the side salad and the snack plate of fruit, cheese and crackers.
The next items I noticed were two shiny packets with silver snowflakes on the front and if you look closer, the snowflakes were made out of silver studded airplanes – what a beautiful touch! The red packet contained a sleep mask and the grey packet contained Billboard earbuds. I also noticed a small pillow and blanket for each passenger.
Well, this is a great start to this Delta experience, so I thought. After I fastened my seat belt, I noticed my seat is off. I looked down and see that my seat cushion did not fit in the seat, it is oversized. This cushion forces my legs and knees into the seat in front of me – yikes.
Once the plane has reached a safe altitude, I tried to relax and took off my shoes. A couple hours into the flight, my legs started to hurt. I notified the flight attendant. He returned with a different seat cushion, but it still didn’t fit. He apologized and that was that.
My husband offered to take my seat and then I had the middle seat. My husband and I are both fairly short people and this clearly is the most uncomfortable flight we have ever taken.
Delta has outlets to charge devices such as phones, iPads, etc. Depending on the plane, it will be a USB port attached to the entertainment screen or it will be under the seat. Our outlets were under the seat. Since the cushion was oversized, it kept knocking out the charger from the outlet We couldn’t charge our devices on a 9 hour flight. My husband got down on his hands and knees to try to fix it, but the cushion is the culprit.
It is shocking that Delta still has an entertainment system from the 90s on an international flight over 7 hours.
We spent $1,500 on this flight and we can’t have the bare minimum – a proper seat. The audacity of it all.
Furthermore, the flight is freezing. I end up using the blanket as a headcover and another blanket to cover the rest of my body.
I reported this issue to Delta over the phone and they offered $25 buck for the inconvenience of a 9 hour flight. I then complained on social media and obtained $150; however, I still don’t think it’s enough.
Is $175 fair compensation for being uncomfortable on a 9 hour flight?
I’ll provide some perspective on what’s fair. In Amsterdam, they wouldn’t allow us in one of the lounges as one of the reps told us, my husband couldn’t bring a guest. Lies, fairytales, and fallacies. He is entitled to bring one guest as a Platinum Delta Medallion member. He complained when he got back to the States and guess what happened. They gave him $200 bucks.
So my husband, receives $200 due to lounge access, but I’m flying for 9 hours in cramped space with a potential a safety issue with this ill fitted cushion, and the airline wants to offer me $25 – really?!?!? Then, I had to fight for $150 on social media.
In other news, we had an amazing trip in Seychelles. I highly recommend visiting.
On our return trip, our flight was canceled. I’m already thinking, how to get compensation from airlines. I knew we were flying KLM Airlines, but whether it is was Delta or KLM Airlines – I knew compensartion was coming. We called the airline to rebook our flight. According to European Law (EU Regulation 261/2004), an airline is required to pay us $680 per person for cancelling our flights. They are mandated by European law to pay us this amount regardless of our rebooked flight. The check has been cut and the funds have been deposited in the bank. Winning.
Airlines needs to compensate their passengers better. Thankfully, the European government has gotten involved and has mandated them to do so.
So now, you know how to get compesanted from airlines. I hope you use them on your next trip.
Have you ever had a Delta flight that sucked? Tweet me @DWPassports or comment below. I’d love to hear from you and I’m sure Delta would too.
Loren has traveled to all seven continents and over 60 countries. She is a travel writer who focuses on writing about luxury accommodations, restaurants, and adventurous activities to enjoy around the world. She works as a freelance editorial writer, photographer, and also a former contributor to the Huffington Post. She has also been featured on CBS, as well as, the Food Network.
One of the secrets to happiness is to keep dating, whether you are single or married. Founded in 2016, Dating With Passports is an informative and inspirational platform to keep dating fun and interesting! As an avid traveler, Loren offers her recommendations and easy guides to help people decide what to do, where to go, and what to pack (including gifts) to have an amazing date. Whether it is a new dish to make a home or a winery to visit in Naples, France, Dating With Passports has you covered.