Air Service Complaints Increased by Nearly 150% in Cape Verde

According to the AAC regulation report, in 2022 the complaints received were essentially related to services provided by airlines, with 625, representing 93% in total (99% with 265 complaints in 2021).

Regarding the number of complaints regarding the service provided by airlines, the Cape Verdean aeronautical authority indicated that Transportes Interilhas de Cabo Verde (TICV) stands out, with 53% of the total (334), followed by SmartWings, with 25% (148) and by TAP Portugal with 11% (66).

“Complaints regarding TACV [Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde] and other operators represent and 8% (48) and 5% (29 complaints), respectively”, said the AAC, which last year saw an increase in complaints airlines by 136% and airport services by 625%.

“And still 14 complaints regarding ground assistance services were registered, after the year 2021 without complaints”, continued the same annual report, indicating that in many complaints users simultaneously present complaints about different services and for different reasons.

“Thus, in 2022 the 625 complaints regarding services provided by airlines gave rise to 991 complaints on different grounds”, he concluded.

Among the reasons that most motivated complaints to airlines were those related to operational issues, namely “flight delay”, with 396 complaints (40% of the total), “flight cancellation”, with 120 complaints (12%), request reimbursement” with 82 complaints (8%) and “providing information”, with 81 complaints (8%).

According to the AAC, these four reasons together account for 68% of complaints regarding airlines.

Complaints related to “baggage”, “compensation claims” and “quality of service” follow, totaling 21%.

“The remaining reasons motivated 100 complaints and together represented around 11% of the total”, according to the same document, indicating that 14 complaints regarding ground assistance services gave rise to 26 complaints.

Also according to the regulator, last year the 30 complaints related to airport services gave rise to 52 complaints, among which 15 complaints stand out for the reason of “quality of service” and 13 complaints for the reason “security screening”.

“The closure rate of complaint processes for the year 2022 is 53% (82% in 2021) – of the 669 complaint processes received, it was possible to close 354 processes in the same year”, as of December 31, 2022 “by complete 315 processes by the year 2022”, concluded the AAC.

To ensure the improvement of the quality of services provided to air transport users, the AAC advanced that last year it continued to develop follow-up and inspection actions for the implementation of the law that establishes the rules and principles to guarantee the protection of assistance to people with mobility reduced.

Consumer complaints reach the AAC through the Complaints Book, via the 'online' complaint form, available on the passenger portal and interconnected with the Integrated Complaint Management System (SIGA), via 'e-mail', in person or by other ways.

Also according to the same report, in 2022 the AAC granted authorization to 23 foreign airline operators to fly to the archipelago, most from Europe, plus Cabo Verde Airlines (CVA), commercial name of TACV – Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, and nationally to Bestfly.