Arik Air International, Ltd.
Customer Service Plan

Arik Air International, Ltd. (Arik Air) is focused on providing exemplary service to its customers on every flight.  Our current fleet numbers 23 aircraft from four different manufacturers, and we have many additional aircraft on the way.  In addition to extensive domestic and regional service in Africa, we serve international destinations in Europe and the United States.

Pursuant to the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Enhanced Protections for Airline Passengers rule, Arik Air has developed a Customer Service Plan, below, which applies on all of the company’s flights to and from the United States.

This Customer Service Plan addresses the main areas in which we strive to maintain a superior level of customer service. Arik Air’s Customer Service Plan covers the following topics:

• Notification of lowest fares
• Notification regarding delays, cancellations, and diversions
• Baggage delivery and customer reimbursement
• Guaranteed customer fares
• Ticket refunds
• Accommodation of customers with disabilities
• Accommodation of customer needs during extraordinary delays
• Oversales
• Disclosure of other travel policies
• Notification of itinerary changes
• Responsiveness to customer problems
• Mitigation of passenger inconveniences

Notification of Lowest Fares

All customers who inquire about a fare or make a reservation by visiting Arik Air’s website, ticket counter, or reservation center will be informed that the lowest fare on a particular ticket may be available elsewhere if that is the case. In order to get the most accurate fare information possible, we recommend customers provide Arik Air with the specific date and time of their requested flight.

Customer Notification Regarding Delays, Cancellations, and Diversions ¹

For scheduled flights to or from the United States, Arik Air will promptly notify ticketed passengers and the general public of any changes in a flight’s status.  For the purposes of this section, a change in the status of a flight means cancellation of a flight, a delay of 30 minutes or more in the planned operation of a flight, or a diversion.  Such notification will be provided within 30 minutes after Arik Air becomes aware of the change.  Arik Air will provide customers at the airport and onboard an impacted aircraft with frequent updates about changes in a flight’s status.  Flight status information will be provided in the boarding gate area for the flight at a U.S. airport, on Arik Air’s website, www.arikair.com, via Arik Air’s telephone reservation system, and upon inquiry by any person.

To the extent that passengers subscribe to any flight status notification service offered by Arik Air, the company will notify customers of any delay, cancellation, or diversion by whatever means is available to Arik Air and of the passengers’ choice.  Common mechanisms for such notification are email alerts and text messages.  If such services are offered by Arik Air, notifications will take place within 30 minutes of Arik Air becoming aware of the change in the flight’s status.

Also, Arik Air will update all flight status displays and other sources of flight information that are under Arik Air’s control at the U.S. airport where the flight has been delayed, cancelled, or diverted.  If the applicable display system is controlled by the airport, Arik Air will provide the necessary flight irregularity information to airport authorities.

Baggage Delivery and Customer Reimbursement

Arik Air is aware of the hardships losing one’s luggage can cause during travel.  In the event your checked bags do not arrive at your destination when you do, Arik Air will make every reasonable effort to ensure that your mishandled baggage is returned within 24 hours.  If you have expenses because of baggage delays and are eligible to receive compensation under applicable treaties, Arik Air will compensate you for reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket expenses as required by such treaties.

If you are unable to locate a bag upon arrival, you must notify a member of Arik Air’s staff before you leave the airport so that we may explain the baggage recovery process to you.  When your missing bag is located Arik Air will ensure it is returned to your local address.  Moreover, Arik Air will fully reimburse any fee charged to transport a bag if that bag is lost.

Guaranteed Customer Fares

When you make a flight reservation with Arik Air through the company’s telephone reservation system or through www.arikair.com, your reservation will be held at the quoted fare without payment for 24 hours, so long as the reservation is made at least one week prior to the flight’s departure.  The reservation can also be cancelled without penalty during this time.  If you change your flight itinerary within this 24 hour timeframe, the quoted fare may change.

Ticket Refunds

Arik Air will do its best to provide passengers with eligible refunds in the time frames listed below. However, we note that refunds cannot be processed until all required information is provided by the passenger and also that some tickets are not refundable.  In certain circumstances such as flight cancellations and oversale situations, Arik Air will refund fees charged to a passenger for optional services that the passenger was unable to use.

For all eligible tickets purchased within the U.S. by a passenger using a credit card or cash, Arik Air will provide refunds within 7 business days of its receipt of all required refund information from the passenger.  (It may take credit card refunds multiple billing cycles to appear on your credit card statement.  Please contact your credit card company to ensure the refund was properly processed.)  Tickets purchased by a passenger with a check will be refunded within 20 business days of Arik Air’s receipt of all required information from the passenger.

Refunds for electronic tickets can be obtained by contacting our Reservations department or through our website at www.arikair.com.  All other refund requests should be sent to Arik Air at:

Arik Air International Ltd. Customer Relations
One Penn Plaza
Suite 1416]
New York, NY 10119

Unfortunately, refund requests cannot be accommodated within the time frames listed above in certain circumstances such as lost ticket refunds, adjustment refunds, and refunds for tickets purchased outside the United States.

Accommodation of Customers with Disabilities and Special Needs

On covered flights, Arik Air will comply with all requirements of Part 382.  Interested customers can obtain a copy of Part 382 from the DOT by any of the following means:

• For calls made from within the United States, by telephone via the Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities at 1–800–778–4838 (voice) or 1–800–455–9880 (TTY)

• By telephone to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 202–366–2220 (voice) or 202–366–0511 (TTY)

• By mail to:
 
 Air Consumer Protection Division, C–75,
 U.S. Department of Transportation,  
 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., West Building,
  Room W96–432,
  Washington, DC 20590

• On the Aviation Consumer Protection Division's Web site: (http://www.dot.gov/airconsumer)

Accommodation of Customer Needs During Extraordinary Delays

Arik Air strives to ensure its passengers experience a safe and pleasant flight when travelling with the company.  However, unforeseen events outside of Arik Air’s control sometimes occur that can cause lengthy onboard flight delays in which an Arik Air aircraft is delayed on the ground without access to a terminal facility.  Pursuant to a new DOT rule on Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections, Arik Air has developed and implemented a comprehensive “Contingency Plan for Lengthy Tarmac Delays.” 

When extraordinary circumstances arise that result in a lengthy delay, Arik Air will provide all passengers adequate food, water, lavatory facilities, and basic medical assistance.  Arik Air has worked hard to coordinate its Contingency Plan for Lengthy Tarmac Delays with airport authorities at every hub Arik Air serves, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration at those locations.

Our entire “Contingency Plan for Lengthy Tarmac Delays” can be viewed here:
http://www.arikair.com/us/sub_menu/THE-EXPERIENCE/Customer-Commitment/Tarmac-Delay-Contingency-Plans.aspx

Oversales

If more passengers with confirmed reservations are present at the departure gate than there are seats available on the flight, Arik Air representatives will speak to the passengers and request volunteers to give up their seat.  Any passenger who volunteers in this manner will be compensated and be booked on an upcoming Arik Air flight.  In some cases, however, customers are denied boarding involuntarily because not enough volunteers came forward.  Aside from a limited number of exceptions, passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding in this manner on covered flights are entitled to compensation under United States law.  Arik Air will treat passengers who are involuntarily “bumped” with fairness and consistency and in accordance with its boarding priority rules.  Additional information on Arik Air’s overbooking policies and the compensation required for passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding can be found in our conditions of carriage.

Disclosure of Other Travel Policies

Information on Arik Air’s cancellation policies, aircraft seating configuration, and lavatory availability is available on its website, www.arikair.com.  This information is also available by contacting Arik Air’s telephone reservation staff in the United States at 1-877-900-ARIK (2745) and inquiring.  Arik Air’s telephone reservation staff is able to provide customers with additional information on the company’s entire fleet upon request.

Notification of Itinerary Changes

Arik Air will diligently strive to notify customers in a timely manner about any changes in their travel itineraries that arise due to both foreseen and unforeseen circumstances.  Questions regarding a customer’s flight should be directed to Arik Air’s United States call center at 1-877-900-ARIK (2745).

 
Responsiveness to Customer Problems

Arik Air is focused on providing exemplary service to its customers on every flight.  However, when customer service issues arise, we try to address them immediately and to the best of our ability.  With that goal in mind, Air Arik has designated an employee who is responsible for monitoring the impacts on passengers of flight delays, cancellations, and lengthy tarmac delays.  This employee will have the ability to help decide which flights Arik Air cancels or delays when unforeseen circumstances arise.

If a passenger experiences an unsatisfactory flight or interaction with Arik Air, he or she may file a complaint to the company’s Customer Relations department (in the country in which they purchased their ticket), which is dedicated to addressing complaints, comments, and concerns received from customers.  The Customer Relations department will acknowledge in writing the receipt of each complaint regarding its scheduled service within 30 days. If this communication does not fully address the concerns raised, the Customer Relations department will send a substantive written response to the complainant within 60 days.  Every complaint submitted will be personally read by a member of our Customer Relations department and acknowledged with a written response.

Customer Relations can be reached immediately by clicking on the following link:

http://www.arikair.com/us/CONTACT-US/Email.aspx

Should you prefer to use U.S. Mail, complaints should be submitted to:

Arik Air International Ltd. Customer Relations
One Penn Plaza
Suite 1416
New York, NY 10119

Instructions for filing a customer complaint can also be found on the company’s website, www.arikair.com, on each of its e-ticket confirmations and, upon request, at each ticket counter and boarding gate staffed by Air Arik employees or those of its contractors.

Mitigation of Passenger Inconveniences

Arik Air offers numerous services to mitigate passenger inconveniences when flight cancellations and misconnections do occur.

When cancellations and major delays occur, Arik Air will do its best to reroute you on its next flight with available seats or the flight of another carrier.  Arik Air flights are occasionally required to divert, or land at a different location than what was intended.  Frequent causes of diversions include severe weather conditions and passenger-related medical emergencies. If we believe a diversion is possible, we will do our best to inform you before departure.  If the decision to divert occurs while the aircraft is airborne, you will be notified by the in-flight crew.  If your diverted flight is subsequently cancelled, Arik Air will do its best to reroute you on another flight as soon as possible.

This Customer Service Plan does not create contractual or legal rights, nor legally bind Arik Air for actions taken in conformance with this plan. Arik Air’s contractual rights and obligations are listed in the company’s conditions of carriage and applicable tariffs. These resources provide customers with additional information on the matters discussed herein, and should be carefully reviewed to ensure that customers fully understand their rights and our obligations.

¹ This provision does not become effective until January 24, 2012.