Airlines participate in the 1st meeting of the committee created to assess the quality of air transport
The Brazilian Association of Airlines (ABEAR), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) participated on February 29 in the first meeting of the Technical Committee for Air Transport Quality, a group created by the National Consumer Secretariat (SENACON), of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, to debate the quality of commercial air transport services. Representatives from Brazil’s Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and the airlines GOL, LATAM, VOEPASS, and AZUL were also present. Jackeline Brito, the coordinator of Institutional Relations, represented ABEAR. Marcelo Pedroso, the director of external relations at IATA in Brazil, presented a general overview of the airline sector; the main bottlenecks currently faced, such as the price of aviation fuel, excessive judicialization, losses accumulated over the years, and companies’ solutions for customer complaints. It was highlighted that demands initiated on the Consumidor.gov.br portal had a solution rate of 86.54% in 2023 and the average response time was 5 days. “Our aviation is one of the best in the world and recognized by international organizations. But there is an effort by airlines to try to provide maximum service and find solutions to complaints made by consumers. Companies are investing in improving customer service services, so that we can have continuous improvement. We understand that quick resolution of complaints is a loyalty mechanism. In other words, it is a way of getting this passenger to return to the airline”, stated Pedroso. The head of SENACON, Wadih Damous, highlighted that the committee’s objective is to systematize the main demands of consumers and verify which ones can be resolved immediately. He also said that the idea is to encourage passengers, if they have any complaints, to first seek company customer service and channels such as consumer.gov.br, before the issue is taken to court. The secretary also spoke of the need to prepare a booklet to inform passengers of their rights and the companies’ obligations. “Our understanding is that a path is being taken in which the scenario is more favorable to solving these problems that are highlighted by users. We understand that the ideal scenario is for customers to seek service from companies first. If the issue is not resolved, contact us here at consumer.gov.br. We have to publicize more and encourage consumers to seek these services, so that we have a scenario of less judicialization and more resolution”, declared Damous. At the end of the meeting, the airline industry associations proposed that the working group pay a visit to the airlines’ operational centers to understand how domestic aviation is operated in Brazil. It was also agreed that the group will meet to specifically discuss the excessive judicialization in the sector. – https://aeroin.net/empresas-aereas-participam-da-1a-reuniao-do-comite-criado-para-avaliar-a-qualidade-do-transporte-aereo/