Known as one of the world’s leading aircraft operators, Japan Airlines (abbreviated as JAL) has played a pivotal role in connecting the country of Japan to the rest of the world while shaping the global aviation industry in a positive manner. The company’s roots trace back to the early 1950s, when it was initially founded as a government-owned enterprise. In those days, JAL only focused on domestic operations, but the change came much later when it launched its first flight to San Francisco over the Pacific Ocean.
Throughout the decades, JAL has been at the forefront of aviation advancements, as it was one of the first airlines to introduce jet aircraft, revolutionizing air travel with faster and more comfortable journeys. And the airline’s iconic ‘Sunrise’ livery, which was introduced in the 1960s, quickly became a symbol of Japan’s rise as a nation to the eyes of the universe. However, recently in 2010, the company faced a significant challenge when it filed for bankruptcy, leading it to undergo a comprehensive restructuring process through a combination of cost-cutting measures, strategic partnerships, and renewed focus on customer service.
One of the cost-cutting measures includes overbooking of flights to reduce the impact of passenger absentees or no-shows. If you have experienced such a scenario where you were denied boarding due to an overbooked flight, then our essential guide can help you claim your rightful compensation.
What is the Eligibility Criteria
Japan Airlines states that like any other airline operator, the company overbooks its flights just so that it can avoid passenger absentees, as it can lead to losses for the company. And even though historical data is utilized for the overbooking process, such as travel trends by route, hour, and season, based on which the reservations are adjusted accordingly, there can be rare occasions that seats cannot be provided to all customers.
In cases where passengers having confirmed reservations are denied from boarding their flights, alternative means of transport will be arranged by the airline operator or provide requisite compensation for the travel disruption leading to such an inconvenience.
Know the Available Options
According to JAL’s Customer Service Plan, passengers who have been denied boarding and are voluntarily willing to surrender their confirmed reservation, then such passengers will be provided with a compensation amount that will be at the discretion of the airline operator.
On the other hand, passengers who do not voluntarily give up their seats in case of denied boarding will be involuntarily selected by the staff of the airline operator. In such cases, alternative travel arrangements will be provided instead of the compensation, as mentioned beforehand. However, it should be known that the priority based on which passengers will be selected involuntarily for denial of boarding will be based on the company’s own internal selection procedures.
For instance, expectant mothers, elderly passengers having disabilities (or special needs), or unaccompanied minors will be provided greater priority than the ones who are not. Similarly, passengers who have checked in for their flights earlier will be provided priority over those who have checked in late. Such is the reason why it is important to always inquire about the reason for which you were denied boarding your flight involuntarily, especially for future references.
How to Claim Compensation
In the case of denial of boarding on a flight, if you have voluntarily surrendered your confirmed reservation in exchange for compensation, then usually, your compensation will be provided at the venue (or airport) when the situation arises. However, if you have not yet received your rightful compensation, then you can register a claim by getting in touch with JAL’s customer support department.
To file a claim for your compensation, follow the suggested steps outlined below.
- Begin your journey by first making a phone call at either of the following numbers: 1-800-JAL-FONE (1-800-525-3663) for domestic passengers or +1-310-607-4160 for international passengers.
- Select the appropriate on-call options so that your call gets forwarded to a customer care representative.
- Once your call is attended by a live agent, state that you have not yet received the compensation for voluntary surrendering confirmed reservations and want to file a compensatory claim.
- In the next step, proceed to provide the details of your travel, such as your name and contact details, your ticket and flight number, and the date and time of your original flight. Be sure to provide any other crucial information that the customer care representative might ask for.
- The customer care agent will gather all the required information and will register a compensation claim in your name.
- After that, inquire regarding the amount of compensation that you will be receiving and the estimated date and time for the same.
Once done, simply wait for your compensation to arrive – either in your mail or as an online travel voucher. Also, do not forget to follow up later on if your compensation fails to arrive on time.
