Airline to improve complaints system

Aer Lingus is to revamp its procedures for dealing with complaints from passengers after acknowledging that its current system had a backlog of six to seven weeks and needed to be improved.

The announcement of the new complaints system, which is being overseen by a senior management task force, came after it emerged that the Director of Consumer Affairs had sent inspectors to the airline's head office at Dublin airport on a number of occasions this year and last year.

The State consumer watchdog had been unable to get a response from Aer Lingus by phone or by post regarding complaints made by the public.

A spokesman for the Director of Consumer Affairs said yesterday that it had found communications with Aer Lingus regarding complaints to be unsatisfactory.

Staff from the office visited Dublin airport on three occasions last year and twice this year regarding complaints which had not been addressed by phone or post.

Commercial director of Aer Lingus Enda Corneille said yesterday that the airline accepted that its customer complaints system needed to be improved. In a statement last night, Aer Lingus said that an increase in complaints had been driven by recent changes in the legislation regarding passengers denied boarding as well as by cancellations.

It said that this had contributed to a backlog of complaints through which Aer Lingus was currently working its way.

"A management taskforce has been set up and we are currently implementing a new system and new procedures which will enable us to handle customer complaints with greater speed and more efficiently."

The statement also said the new system will streamline Aer Lingus's ability to handle customer complaints by allowing the airline to respond to customer complaints and queries within 10 days.