Following is the Airline Transport Association's Airline
Customer Service Commitment, unveiled June 17 in Washington:
The member carriers of the Air Transport Association (ATA) are
committed to providing the best level of service to our customers.
In recent months, there has been an increasing recognition of the
need to improve airline passenger service. As a result, the ATA
carriers, working with Members of Congress, have developed an
Airline Customer Service Commitment, and each carrier will develop
its individual Customer Service Plan to demonstrate our ongoing
dedication to improving air travel.
The ATA carriers hereby commit to:
Offer the lowest fare availability. Each airline will offer the
lowest fare available for which the customer is eligible on the
airline's telephone reservation system for the date, flight and
class of service requested.Notify customers of known delays, cancellations and diversions.
Each airline will notify customers at the airport and on board an
affected aircraft, in a timely manner, of the best available
information regarding known delays, cancellations and diversions.
In addition, each airline will establish and implement policies for
accommodating passengers delayed overnight. A clear and concise
statement of airline's policies in these respects will also be made
available to customers.On-time baggage delivery. Each airline will make every
reasonable effort to return checked bags within 24 hours and will
attempt to contact any customer whose unclaimed, checked luggage
contains a name and address or telephone number.Support an increase in the baggage liability limit. The
airlines will petition the Department of Transportation within 30
days to consider an increase in the current baggage liability
limit. [Since 1984, DOT rules provide baggage liability of
$1,250.]Allow reservations to be held or canceled. Each airline will
allow the customer either to hold a telephone reservation without
payment for 24 hours or (at the election of the carrier) to cancel
a reservation without penalty for up to 24 hours, in order to give
customers an opportunity to check for lower fares through other
distribution systems, such as travel agents or the Internet.Provide prompt ticket refunds. Each airline will issue refunds
for eligible tickets within seven days for credit card purchases
and 20 days for cash purchases.Properly accommodate disabled and special needs passengers.
Each airline will disclose its policies and procedures for handling
special needs passengers, such as unaccompanied minors, and for
accommodating the disabled in an appropriate manner.Meet customers' essential needs during long on-aircraft delays.
The airlines will make every reasonable effort to provide food,
water, restroom facilities and access to medical treatment for
passengers aboard an aircraft that is on the ground for an extended
period of time without access to the terminal, as consistent with
passenger and employee safety and security concerns. Each carrier
will prepare contingency plans to address such circumstances and
will work with other carriers and the airport to share facilities
and make gates available in an emergency.Handle "bumped" passengers with fairness and consistency. Each
airline will establish and disclose to the customer policies and
procedures, including any applicable requirements (such as check-in
deadlines), for managing the inability to board all passengers with
confirmed reservations.Disclose travel itinerary, cancelation policies, frequent flyer
rules and aircraft configuration. Each airline will disclose to the
customer: (i) any change of aircraft on a single flight with the
same flight number; (ii) cancelation policies involving failures to
use each flight segment coupon; (iii) rules, restrictions and an
annual report on frequent flyer program redemptions, and (iv) upon
request, information regarding aircraft configuration, including
seat size and pitch.Ensure good customer service from code-share partners. Each
airline will ensure that domestic code-share partners make a
commitment to provide comparable consumer plans and policies.Be more responsive to customer complaints. Each airline will
assign a Customer Service Representative responsible for handling
passenger complaints and ensuring that all written complaints are
responded to within 60 days.Each airline will develop and implement a Customer Service plan
for meeting its obligations under the Airline Customer Service
Commitment. Customer Service Plans will be completed and published
within 90 days and will be fully implemented within six months.