Top 8 travel complaints you can solve without going to the court

Now that the travel season has ended, travel complaints are at an all-time high. Filing a court case against a travel company can be an exhausting experience. Consumer courts are especially overburdened with hundreds of cases pouring in every other day.

Instead of pursuing a legal case, there are many alternatives that you can opt to get your travel issue resolved.

Here are the top ten travel issues in India which can be handled out of court:

8 travel complaints you can resolve out of court

Travel agent complaints

There are thousands of travel agencies operating in India. If you have a complaint, you can simply call on their customer care number to lodge your grievance. You can also directly contact the travel agent who booked your trip.

1. Fake travel itinerary

Were you told that your hotel will be at a walking distance from the beach? And it turns out it was in another neighbourhood! Such scams are common. While this is not as serious as some other travel issues, yet it amounts to a ‘deficiency in service’ by the travel agent. You can change your hotel or ask for a refund from the travel agent. Most likely, your complaint will be heard and resolved in no time.

2. Charged for a service mentioned under all-inclusive package

While booking, you paid for a cruise dinner on the yacht. When you show up, you’re asked to pay extra. Such an embarrassing situation has a simple solution- immediately call up your travel agent and complain! This small step can get you your money back.

You can submit and manage your travel agent complaint via Resolver.

Flight and baggage issues

Air travel fare costs you about 1/3rd of your total travel budget. Any delay or damage can hurt like a beesting. Fortunately, every country in the world has a charter of passenger rights. That means that as a traveller, you have some basic air travel rights. If the airline fails its duty, you will be compensated without taking legal action!

3. Flight cancellation, delay or boarding denial

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”p” question-0=”how to claim compensation for lost baggage?” answer-0=”In case of lost, damaged or delayed baggage, you can contact the airline and collect Property Irregularity Report (known as PIR) before leaving the airport. Give all the details of your missing luggage in writing. You can also mention an itemized list of everything you packed.” image-0=”” headline-1=”p” question-1=”how to get a Compensation for Flight delay and cancellation?” answer-1=”If the flight delay or cancellation is caused due to the airline’s fault, you will get some form of compensation. As a flyer, you can contact the airline’s ground staff, complete some formalities and voila! Your issue will be resolved in no time.” image-1=”” headline-2=”p” question-2=”How to file a complaint against a travel agent?” answer-2=”Always retain all travel-related documents and bills- this will come handy when you make a claim for compensation. Never abuse your power as a customer. Companies listen to those who complain respectfully.” image-2=”” count=”3″ html=”false” css_class=””]If the flight delay or cancellation is caused due to the airline’s fault, you will get some form of compensation. As a flyer, you can contact the airline’s ground staff, complete some formalities and voila! Your issue will be resolved in no time- saving you thousands of rupees which you might have spent in litigation!

4. Overbooked flight

If your flight is overbooked, the airline is required to ask passengers to voluntarily give up their seats in exchange for benefits/facilities. If this doesn’t help, the airline will give you compensation or tickets to an alternate flight.

5. Lost or delayed or damaged baggage

In case of lost, damaged or delayed baggage, you can contact the airline and collect Property Irregularity Report (known as PIR) before leaving the airport. Give all the details of your missing luggage in writing. You can also mention an itemized list of everything you packed along with its price to calculate the total loss. Make sure you do it while at the airport. Once you leave the airport, it gets difficult for the airline to compensate for your loss.

Want to know more about airline compensation rules? Check out:  Compensation guide on flight delays, cancellation and boarding denial

Hotel complaints

Always approach the front desk with any grievance you might have. Chances are high that you’ll get an appropriate resolution for your issue immediately. Delaying the matter can weaken your case. Also, informing the staff right away can help you avoid a court case.

6. Dirty hotel rooms

Probably the most common hotel issue every traveller has faced. But you don’t have to dampen your mood – ask for room service or a change/upgrade of the room. Most hotels have excellent customer service and are more than happy to oblige. If things go south, you can escalate your complaint to the Manager or the website through which you made the booking. 

7. Rude hotel staff

Complaining about junior staff to a manager/general manager is enough to solve this issue. Most likely, you’ll get an apology in no time. Some hotels also offer complementary services as compensation for a bad experience.

8. Problems related with food and drink

If the hotel restaurant serves a bad meal, ask for a replacement. You should get a fresh meal immediately. If the problem doesn’t stop there, you can lodge a complaint with upper management to get a quick resolution.

How to make an effective travel complaint?

Companies received hundreds of complaints in a day. It’s easy to get lost in there. To get your complaint heard, you can follow these tips-

• Always retain all travel-related documents and bills- this will come handy when you make a claim for compensation.
• Never abuse your power as a customer. Companies listen to those who complain respectfully.
• Be clear and concise about the compensation you want. Is it a refund or a replacement- decide before submitting your complaint.
• Keep evidence of your conversation with the company. It’ll help you in detailing your matter in a chronological method.

Is there a way to complain without directly contacting the company?

Glad you asked, yes there is! Resolver is here to help you every step of the way with your travel complaint.

If you don’t want to call customer care and deal with the travel company directly, we’ve got your back.

Resolver’s automated tool will forward your travel complaint to the right person. You’d be able to manage and escalate your issue from the comfort of your home.

You won’t have to wait on hold or stand in queues. Submit travel complaint, claim refund and compensation from the travel company. Raise as many issues as you want, without spending a rupee.