complaints - tips?

I am intending to make a complaint about my flight last night. What I
want to know is where can I find information to quote about rules and
regulations regarding carriage. Are they specific to each country or
carrier? Or are there international rules?

The details are as follows -

The plane was rerouted to another destination, adding three hours to
travel time for the benefit of a sports team on board who wanted to go
somewhere else. The airline called our home phone number even though
their records would have shown that we flew out a week earlier. They
have our email addresses, etc, as we are frequent fliers but did not
use them. Fine, I can put up with this, but I believe it led to the
following -

My husband and I were seated around the middle of the 747 and were
forced to put up with a large group of extremely drunk and rowdy
passengers, and we were treated poorly by cabin crew who assumed we
were travelling with them. Crew served at least three beers per person
within about 20 minutes. More alcohol was served with dinner. I think
they were serving more to make up for the three hour rerouting. Others
were openly drinking their duty free. These people would have clearly
endangered evacuation if there was an emergency. They were loud,
shouting across the plane, swearing excessively, pushing seats up and
down, and standing up to collect items out of overhead bins within
seconds of landing (although thankfully crew did yell at them to sit
down after this happened). I was planning to say something to cabin
crew about them, but didn't, I wish I had now.

Just before we landed at our first destination (to allow the football
team to disembark), the passenger sitting two seats to the left of me
lightly tapped the passenger on the head in front of him (I think he
might have been asleep). It was a stupid, drunken act, but no harm was
caused. The passengers immediately filed an assault claim. As were
were sitting behind these passengers, my husband and I were called up
during transit and accused of assault, surrounded by police. We were
spoken to rudely by an airline official, who did not apologise when it
was clear that we did nothing wrong. We were then treated rudely by
cabin crew for the remainder of the flight to our destination. The
'assaulted' passenger got an upgrade to first class. The passenger who
did the 'assaulting' was let back on the plane, and got his alcohol
confiscated until the end of the flight. Yet he was clearly very
drunk, as was most of the plane who should not have been allowed to
reboard.

I am horrified that the negligence of cabin crew, who were serving far
too much alcohol to intoxicated passengers led to this incident. I am
appalled that I was accused of a serious crime and my husband and I
were humiliated in front of the entire group of passengers and treated
rudely. I know that I will get no compensation or apology but I want
to let the airline know that I am not at all happy about this. It put
a real sour ending on my holiday.

What relevant legislation can I quote regarding the above? Are there
rules about intoxicated passengers being a hindrance to emergencies?
Laws about serving of alcohol to intoxicated passengers? I live in
Australia.

MsFi wrote:

I am intending to make a complaint about my flight last night. What I
want to know is where can I find information to quote about rules and
regulations regarding carriage. Are they specific to each country or
carrier? Or are there international rules?


What carrier was this?
Which flight?
Which cities?
Which sport team?

Sounds like Qantas
Could your flight have been diverted to take on fuel prior to a long sector
?
[Sydney was rationing fuel recently]
Never mind rules and regulations - write to the CEO of the airline [Dixon,
if its QF] in exactly the terms and format of your email.



"MsFi" wrote in message
om...
I am intending to make a complaint about my flight last night. What I
want to know is where can I find information to quote about rules and
regulations regarding carriage. Are they specific to each country or
carrier? Or are there international rules?

The details are as follows -

The plane was rerouted to another destination, adding three hours to
travel time for the benefit of a sports team on board who wanted to go
somewhere else. The airline called our home phone number even though
their records would have shown that we flew out a week earlier. They
have our email addresses, etc, as we are frequent fliers but did not
use them. Fine, I can put up with this, but I believe it led to the
following -

My husband and I were seated around the middle of the 747 and were
forced to put up with a large group of extremely drunk and rowdy
passengers, and we were treated poorly by cabin crew who assumed we
were travelling with them. Crew served at least three beers per person
within about 20 minutes. More alcohol was served with dinner. I think
they were serving more to make up for the three hour rerouting. Others
were openly drinking their duty free. These people would have clearly
endangered evacuation if there was an emergency. They were loud,
shouting across the plane, swearing excessively, pushing seats up and
down, and standing up to collect items out of overhead bins within
seconds of landing (although thankfully crew did yell at them to sit
down after this happened). I was planning to say something to cabin
crew about them, but didn't, I wish I had now.

Just before we landed at our first destination (to allow the football
team to disembark), the passenger sitting two seats to the left of me
lightly tapped the passenger on the head in front of him (I think he
might have been asleep). It was a stupid, drunken act, but no harm was
caused. The passengers immediately filed an assault claim. As were
were sitting behind these passengers, my husband and I were called up
during transit and accused of assault, surrounded by police. We were
spoken to rudely by an airline official, who did not apologise when it
was clear that we did nothing wrong. We were then treated rudely by
cabin crew for the remainder of the flight to our destination. The
'assaulted' passenger got an upgrade to first class. The passenger who
did the 'assaulting' was let back on the plane, and got his alcohol
confiscated until the end of the flight. Yet he was clearly very
drunk, as was most of the plane who should not have been allowed to
reboard.

I am horrified that the negligence of cabin crew, who were serving far
too much alcohol to intoxicated passengers led to this incident. I am
appalled that I was accused of a serious crime and my husband and I
were humiliated in front of the entire group of passengers and treated
rudely. I know that I will get no compensation or apology but I want
to let the airline know that I am not at all happy about this. It put
a real sour ending on my holiday.

What relevant legislation can I quote regarding the above? Are there
rules about intoxicated passengers being a hindrance to emergencies?
Laws about serving of alcohol to intoxicated passengers? I live in
Australia.

"MsFi" wrote in message
om...
I am intending to make a complaint about my flight last night. What I
want to know is where can I find information to quote about rules and
regulations regarding carriage. Are they specific to each country or
carrier? Or are there international rules?


Personally I think that telling the press the details might have more
effect.

Just before we landed at our first destination (to allow the football
team to disembark), the passenger sitting two seats to the left of me
lightly tapped the passenger on the head in front of him (I think he
might have been asleep). It was a stupid, drunken act, but no harm was
caused. The passengers immediately filed an assault claim.

An assault claim for a light tap on the head ?
Was he American ? or just seriously annoyed ?

MsFi wrote in message . ..
What relevant legislation can I quote regarding the above? Are there
rules about intoxicated passengers being a hindrance to emergencies?
Laws about serving of alcohol to intoxicated passengers? I live in
Australia.

The applicable regulations depend on the registry of the airplane.
If it was Qantas then Australian CARS apply throughout the world on
Australian registered aircraft. CAR 256 (1) states that 'A person shall not,
while in a state of intoxication, enter any aircraft'. Car 256AA states that
'a person in an aircraft must not behave in an offensive and disorderly
manner'.
Also section 24(1)(B) of the Civil Aviation Act provides that 'A person
shall not, while in an aircraft ... do anything that threatens the safety of
the aircraft of persons on board the aircraft'.

If it was a US-registered airplane (say) then the US FARs would apply:
Sec. 121.575 - Alcoholic beverages.
(a) No person may drink any alcoholic beverage aboard an aircraft unless the
certificate holder operating the aircraft has served that beverage to him.
(b) No certificate holder may serve any alcoholic beverage to any person
aboard any of its aircraft who --
(1) Appears to be intoxicated;

If you feel strongly enough (and I object strenuously to drunks on an
airliner), then in addition to complaining to the airline CEO as others
suggest, I would also file a complaint with the CASA (Australia) or the FAA
(US).

The other 'problems' (rerouting, delays etc.) are not subject to
regulations, so about all you can do is bitch to the airline.

B.