Consumer watchdog Facua has lodged a formal complaint against Ryanair and Iberia with Spain's Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda for their failure to properly address customer complaints via email. In a statement released this Monday, the organisation revealed it has documented numerous cases where these airlines either send automated responses or redirect customers to other communication channels rather than addressing the specific issues raised.
This practice effectively forces customers to send certified letters to either airline before their complaints are properly handled. Facua has found that in most instances, airlines won't appropriately process incidents until consumers complete this additional step, which the organisation argues directly contravenes consumer protection regulations.
According to Facua, these practices violate Spain's General Law for the Defence of Consumers and Users, which mandates that service providers must offer communication channels that are easily accessible, effective, and appropriate to the medium through which the consumer relationship was established.
Legal requirements for customer service
Article 21 of the consumer protection law specifically states that customer service offices "must ensure that consumers have proof of their complaints and claims, through the provision of an identification key and written confirmation, on paper or another durable medium." The legislation further requires that telephone or electronic customer service must guarantee direct personal attention, "beyond the possibility of complementarily using other technical means at their disposal."
The law also explicitly requires businesses to provide consumers with information about "postal address, telephone number, fax when applicable, and email address where consumers, regardless of their place of residence, can file complaints or request information about offered or contracted goods or services."
Call for sanctions
Based on these violations, Facua has requested that Spain's Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda open disciplinary proceedings against both Ryanair and Iberia. The organisation argues that by failing to provide an effective customer service email through which passengers can request information or submit complaints, the airlines are clearly breaching current consumer protection regulations.