Being that Americans are fast paced, timeline driven people, there is nothing that pisses us off more than a delayed flight plan. Especially during the holidays!

The scenario usually starts off the same way…

The airport is packed. It takes 2 hours to get through security. You had to mail your favorite miniature Swiss Army knife back to yourself because you left it in your carry-on bag. As the day progresses, the cumulative effect of these annoyances begin to take their toll, and you just want to get on the [bleep] plane!

Finally, you get to board your aircraft.

You store your bags and collapse in your seat. You feel an almost cathartic sensation as you begin to relax because you know you’re just moments away from cruising along at 30,000 feet.

Then… nothing.

The plane is fully boarded. The baggage handlers have moved away from the plane. You’ve been sitting idle for 30 minutes, and still, you’re not going anywhere.

You’re stuck on the tarmac, or even worse, you taxi to the runway and have to come back to the terminal for further delays.

You’re livid! At this point, the Type A personalities (like me) are silently considering which of the Zen following passengers you will eat first if you can’t make it home in time for Mom’s Thanksgiving dinner.

Best Ways to Protest Airline Delays

The tried and true method of venting your frustrations on the friendly airline flight attendant is the worst thing you can do. These folks are just trying to do their job as best as they can, and have little to no control when the plane is going to move. So if you’re yelling at them, you’re just being a ineffectual jerk.

A few ways you can get satisfaction…

1. Twitter & Facebook. If you’re being screwed over, get the word out. You paid good money for a ticket, so you should get fair, reliable service with some degree of accountability. Don’t be crybaby just because you have to wait 10 minutes, but if you’re still waiting after numerous excuses or you’re multiple hours behind schedule, it’s justifiable to get a little snippy. The airlines have created their own Twitter and Facebook accounts, and will probably reply to you within several minutes after posting your complaints because they really don’t want to leave the bad press out there without engaging in the conversation.
2. Call FlyersRights.org. If you can’t get satisfaction via the web, and think you’ve got a legitimate complaint worthy of the local news, give the folks at FlyersRights.org a telephone call (1-877-FLYERS6). They have the mojo to get a local news crew on the scene, and any reputable business will do anything and everything to avoid the negative attention a nosy journalist with a shoulder mounted camera can generate.
3. Blog you! If you’ve got a blog, then by all means, document your frustrations first hand. Most people carry an iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry these days, so start snapping pictures or capture some video footage of your ordeal so you can post it to the web for the world to see until the end of time. This sort of never ending bad press for businesses will motivate them to do their very best to keep you in their good graces, or at the very least, get you a discounted ticket or free frequent flyer miles.
4. Don’t use them. If you are one of the unfortunate few who have had a horrible flight experience, then by all means, seek other sources of transportation. Taking the train or a day long drive isn’t the worst option in the world, and it’s probably going to result in less stress/anxiety. Remember, giving a company your business is your vote “For” or “Against” their business practices.

By getting your frustrations on the web, you’re essentially breaking the relative silence forced upon you once you were at the airport or inside the aircraft cabin. Since the airlines can’t (or won’t) stop you from tweeting or updating your Facebook page, the airline PR departments are forced to interact with your complaints in real time for all the world to see instead of a 1-on-1 customer service call. More often than not, the feedback you can get from them via Twitter or Facebook will be faster than calling customer service directly!

Again, don’t be a jerk and make unfounded blanket statements like “Delta Sucks!” because you didn’t get your free peanuts. Keep the complaints authentic and as accurate as possible. Otherwise, you’ll just dilute the bad experiences with your whining, and customers will lose the leverage that social media provides.

On the other hand, if you’ve been wronged (e.g. the United Airlines Breaks Guitars hit song) or your airline is doing a piss poor job at transporting you from Point A to Point B, then by all means, roast management’s “peanuts” on your social medium of choice.

Have you had a horrible airline experience during the holidays? Care to vent your frustrations? Did an airline do right by you by refunding some of your ticket price or give you a few thousand frequent flyer miles for your inconvenience?

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Photo by kevindooley

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