If you've missed an appointment due to a flight delay, had a flight cancelled or just experienced a rude stewardess during a flight, you can submit a letter of complaint to the airline. Following a few simple tips will increase your chances of being compensated instead of ignored.
Use calm and reasonable language. Don't let your anger get the better of you; instead, express your disappointment and inconvenience. It's much harder to reject the complaint of an intelligent and well-thought out letter; an emotional, insulting or profanity-laced letter is more likely to be ignored. Use formal language and be polite; for example, address the airline as "Dear Sir or Madam" instead of using insults and invective.
Provide an extremely detailed account of the events. List and document dates, times, names and descriptions of every action during the incident including discussions you had with their personnel on the plane or in the airport. The more detailed your account, the stronger your case. The point is to provide a detailed argument of your inconvenience, not seem like you are merely whining about some bad service.
Photocopy and include any supporting material, such as meeting announcements or invitations to special events, that you missed or were late to due to your flight. Supporting your arguments with evidence; don't be shy about sending material, as it's better to err on the side of completeness than miss something.
Ask for specific compensation; this usually means a voucher towards another flight. Depending on the severity of the situation, they may feel or be obliged to give you more or less; for a cancelled flight for which the airline was clearly at fault, they should provide a voucher to cover another full flight.
Mail the complaint letter to the correct department of the airline. Don't simply send it to their corporate office; make sure you obtain the address of their complaint or customer service department before you leave the airport on the day of the unfortunate event.
