Air Carrier Access Act Technical Assistance Manual (2005)

Written Complaints Received after the Trip

You should be aware of your carrier’s established procedure for resolving written complaints from passengers with a disability. [Sec. 382.65(b)] In addition, under the law, a carrier is not required to respond to a written complaint postmarked more than 45 days after the date of the alleged violation. [Sec. 382.65(b)(1)] Your carrier must provide a dispositive written response within 30 days of receipt of a written complaint describing a situation that would constitute a violation of the law. [Sec. 382.65(b)(3)]

You should provide all information regarding written complaints -- and in general -- in a polite and respectful manner as a matter of high standards of customer service. Depending on the carrier’s determination, its response to a written complaint must include the following:

• if the carrier agrees that a violation has occurred, the carrier must provide a written statement to the complaining passenger summarizing the facts and stating what steps, if any, the carrier proposes to take in response to the violation. [Sec. 382.65(b)(3)(i)]

• if the carrier denies that a violation has occurred, the written response must include a summary of the facts and the carrier’s reasons under the law for making its determination. [Sec. 382.65(b)(3)(iii)]

The written statement provided to the complaining passenger must include information about the right to pursue DOT enforcement action under the law. [Sec. 382.65(b)(3)(iii)]