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Air Travel Service Problems

To refer others to this page, please use:
http://www.nad.org/airtravelserviceproblems

The Aviation Consumer Protection Division (ACPD) of the Department of Transportation operates a complaint handling system for consumers who experience air travel service problems.

Airline Safety
Consumers with concerns about airline safety should call the Federal Aviation Administration toll-free at 1-800-255-1111.

Aviation Security
Consumers with concerns about aviation security should register their comments with the Transportation Security Administration at:
http://www.tsa.gov/public/contactus

Airline Service
Consumers can call, write or e-mail the ACPD to register their concerns about airline service. You may call the ACPD 24 hours each day at 202-366-2220 (TTY 202-366-0511) to record your complaint. Due to staff size limitations, we cannot return phone calls. Letters and e-mails will be reviewed and acknowledged and, when appropriate, will be forwarded to an airline official for further consideration.

The ACPD mailing address is:

Aviation Consumer Protection Division
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

Their email address is:
airconsumer@ost.dot.gov

Whether you call, write or email, please be brief and concise in the description of your problem and be sure to include the following information:

Your name
Address
Daytime phone number (including area code)
Name of the airline or company about which you are complaining
Flight date
Flight number
Origin and destination cities of your trip.

If you write, you should also include a copy of your airline ticket (not the original) and any correspondence you have already exchanged with the company.

Disability Discrimination
If your complaint concerns accessibility problems experienced by a passenger with a disability, click here:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/ACAAcomplaint.htm

For information on where to file your complaint. If you are filing an accessibility complaint with us, we have optional complaint form that you may download and/or print if you wish at:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/forms/382form.pdf

Complaints of this type may be filed on the form, or by letter or email.

Although the ACPD does not mediate individual consumer complaints, all complaints are entered in DOT's computerized aviation industry monitoring system, and are charged to the company in question in the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. This report is distributed to the industry and made available to the news media and the general public so that consumers and air travel companies can compare the complaint records of individual airlines and tour operators. These complaints are reviewed to determine the extent to which carriers are in compliance with federal aviation consumer protection regulations. This system also serves as a basis for rulemaking, legislation and research.
The ACPD publishes a number of booklets and fact sheets on air travel consumer protection issues at:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/pubs.htm

Additional information may be obtained by contacting:
airconsumer@ost.dot.gov

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NAD Advocacy
• Air Travel Main Page

Legal Rights
• Airport Access
• Air Travel Service Problems
• Airport Security Screening
• Air Carrier Complaints Resolution Official
• Disability Discrimination Complaints Against Air Carriers
• Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities