Navigating air travel can sometimes be challenging, but understanding an airline’s customer service commitments can significantly ease your experience. This guide delves into the Hawaiian Airlines Customer Service Plan, ensuring you know your rights and what to expect when flying with them. We break down each commitment, providing clarity and context to help you travel with confidence.
Understanding Hawaiian Airlines’ Customer Service Commitments
Hawaiian Airlines has laid out a comprehensive customer service plan focusing on transparency, efficiency, and passenger satisfaction. These commitments cover various aspects of your journey, from booking to post-flight support. Let’s explore each point in detail:
1. Fare Transparency
Hawaiian Airlines is committed to price transparency. Whether you’re browsing fares on their website, speaking with a reservation agent, or at the ticket counter, they pledge to inform you if the lowest available fare might be found elsewhere. This commitment to honesty helps you make informed decisions and ensures you’re getting the best possible deal.
2. Timely Baggage Delivery and Compensation
Lost or delayed baggage is a major travel inconvenience. Hawaiian Airlines aims to minimize this issue with a strong focus on timely baggage delivery. For domestic flights, they strive to return mishandled baggage within twelve hours of arrival. For international flights, this timeframe is extended to within 15 to 30 hours, depending on the destination.
Furthermore, in accordance with regulations, Hawaiian Airlines will compensate you for reasonable expenses incurred due to baggage delivery delays on domestic flights. For lost or significantly delayed bags, they will also reimburse any baggage fees you paid.
3. 24-Hour Reservation Cancellation Policy
Flexibility is crucial when planning travel. Hawaiian Airlines understands this and allows you to cancel reservations made seven days or more before departure without penalty, provided the cancellation is requested within 24 hours of the original purchase. This grace period offers peace of mind and allows for adjustments to your plans shortly after booking.
4. Prompt and Efficient Refunds
Getting your money back quickly when a refund is due is a key aspect of good customer service. Hawaiian Airlines commits to providing prompt refunds in the original form of payment. Credit card purchases will be refunded within 7 business days, while refunds for tickets or ancillary service fees (including checked bag fees) will be processed within 20 days, as per regulations. Unless you agree to an alternative, cash-equivalent payment method, you can expect your refund through the original payment method without any processing fees deducted.
5. Transparency on Alternative Options and Refunds
When disruptions occur, Hawaiian Airlines will offer options like alternative transportation, travel credits, or vouchers. Crucially, they will clearly disclose your entitlement to a refund if applicable, as well as any material restrictions, conditions, or limitations associated with travel credits or vouchers offered as compensation. This ensures you have all the necessary information to make informed choices when presented with alternatives.
6. Accommodating Guests with Disabilities and Special Needs
Hawaiian Airlines is dedicated to providing accessible and inclusive travel experiences for all passengers. They are committed to properly accommodating guests with disabilities, adhering to regulations and internal policies. This includes assistance during lengthy tarmac delays and ensuring appropriate refunds for passengers with disabilities and their travel companions if travel plans are disrupted due to disability-related reasons.
7. Addressing Essential Needs During Tarmac Delays
Lengthy tarmac delays can be uncomfortable. Hawaiian Airlines’ Tarmac Delay Contingency plan ensures that your essential needs are met during these situations. While the specifics are detailed in their separate Tarmac Delay Contingency Plan, this commitment highlights their focus on passenger well-being even during unforeseen delays.
8. Fair and Consistent Handling of “Bumped” Passengers
In cases of oversold flights, Hawaiian Airlines pledges to handle “bumped” guests with fairness and consistency. Their policies and procedures for determining boarding priority are designed to ensure equitable treatment in these situations, minimizing inconvenience for affected passengers.
9. Disclosing Important Policies
Transparency extends to policy disclosure. Hawaiian Airlines makes key policies readily available on their website and through their telephone reservations staff. This includes refund policies, cancellation policies, frequent flyer rules, aircraft seating configurations, and lavatory availability. This easy access to information empowers you to be well-informed before and during your travel.
10. Rebooking and Compensation for Cancellations and Significant Delays
When flight disruptions occur due to factors within Hawaiian Airlines’ control, they are committed to minimizing the impact on your travel plans.
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Rebooking: For cancellations or significant delays, Hawaiian Airlines will rebook you on the next available Hawaiian flight at no additional cost. If a Hawaiian flight isn’t available until the next day, they will, upon your request and at no extra charge, attempt to book you on a partner airline flight in the same cabin class, if available.
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Compensation: For delays of three hours or more or cancellations caused by factors within their control, and if a new flight requires a wait of three hours or more, you can request compensation in the form of:
- A travel voucher of at least $50, valid for one year.
- At least 2,000 HawaiianMiles.
*Compensation is not provided if delays or cancellations are due to air traffic control issues, weather, passenger illness, or other extraordinary circumstances outside of Hawaiian Airlines’ control (“Force Majeure”). Meal vouchers and hotel accommodations (for overnight delays) are also provided in specific circumstances as detailed in the original document.
11. Timely Flight Itinerary Change Notifications
Staying informed about flight changes is essential. Hawaiian Airlines commits to notifying guests in a timely manner about itinerary changes if you booked directly with them and provided accurate contact information, especially within five days of departure. They also promptly update flight information on their website and app, ensuring you can monitor your flight status and receive notifications of delays, cancellations, or diversions of 30 minutes or more within 30 minutes of the airline becoming aware of the change.
12. Responsiveness to Problems and Mitigation Services
Hawaiian Airlines aims to be responsive to passenger problems and proactively inform you of services available to mitigate inconveniences arising from flight disruptions like cancellations, delays, and misconnections. This commitment to problem-solving and support underscores their dedication to customer care.
Additional Services Enhancing Customer Experience
Beyond the core customer service plan, Hawaiian Airlines offers additional services designed to improve your travel experience:
Family Seating Guarantee
Traveling with children is made easier with Hawaiian Airlines’ family seating guarantee. Children aged 13 and under will be seated next to at least one accompanying adult at no additional cost, even on Main Cabin Basic fares, under certain conditions. These conditions are designed to ensure fairness and feasibility of seat assignments and are detailed in the original document. If conditions aren’t met pre-flight, informing gate staff before boarding allows them to make best efforts to seat families together.
US Service Members Benefits
Hawaiian Airlines provides special benefits to US Service Members, recognizing their service and travel needs. These benefits include:
- Free Baggage Allowance: Current Service Members and their accompanying spouse and children receive a generous free baggage allowance, including carry-on and checked bags.
- Flexible Travel Policy: Service members facing travel changes due to military orders can reschedule or cancel their flights without fees and receive a full refund.
Proof of military orders is required to avail these benefits, and any fare differences may apply when rebooking.
Contacting Hawaiian Airlines Customer Service
For further information or assistance, Hawaiian Airlines provides multiple contact channels:
- Reservations Department: 1-800-367-5320 (For guests with hearing or speech disabilities (TTY): Dial 711 for relay services)
- Online Request Form: Submit a request online
- Guests with Disabilities Help Page: Guests with Disabilities Help Page
For complaints or concerns related to air travel with disabilities, you can also contact the Department of Transportation (DOT) through the contact information provided in the original document.
Conclusion
Hawaiian Airlines’ Customer Service Plan demonstrates a commitment to passenger rights and a focus on creating a positive travel experience. By understanding these commitments, you can navigate your journey with greater confidence and assurance, knowing what to expect and how Hawaiian Airlines aims to support you throughout your travels. This detailed breakdown provides a comprehensive overview, empowering you to leverage these services and have a smoother, more enjoyable experience with Hawaiian Airlines.
