Swedes' complaints about flights increased for the third year in a row.
Delays, canceled flights and companies going bankrupt, but also more people finding out about their rights are some of the explanations.
Complaints about air transport were by far the largest category received by the Swedish Consumer Agency, according to a compilation made by the agency's Consumer Europe department.
In 2015, 16.3 percent of the complaints received were directed at aviation. In 2016, the figure increased by more than four percentage points, and for 2017, the share is 30.4 percent.
Problems for airlines
Swedes complain next most about cars and motorcycles, including rental cars and car valuation services, 12.6 percent last year.
There are a number of explanations for why aviation stands out so much, says Jolanda Girzl, director of Consumer Europe.
– What we can see is that consumers are finding information about delayed and cancelled flights on our website in a completely different way, and that more people are looking for tips on what to consider when using private compensation companies, she says.
Individual events also have a significant impact. For example, when the hotel chain Low Cost Holiday went bankrupt in 2016, complaints in that category increased significantly.
In 2017, many of the complaints concerned Air Berlin, but also Norwegian and Lufthansa.
– It was certain companies that had financial problems, bankruptcies or canceled flights that caused us to have this increase last year, says Jolanda Girzl.
Subscription traps
Complaints about pharmaceutical products, such as medicines and herbal remedies, decreased to 5.9 percent in 2017 after having increased by more than five percentage points the year before. This largely concerns subscriptions to diet pills, for example, where you agree to a trial package for 39 kronor but are then forced to buy more packages for hundreds of kronor.
– We saw a decrease in the number of complaints about subscription traps because we had a campaign, launched press releases and thanks to you because you wrote a lot about it, says Jolanda Girzl.
FACTS
Facts: Complaints 2017
Previous year in brackets.
Air transport 30.4 % (20.6)
Cars and motorcycles including rental cars and car valuation services 12.6 % (14.6)
Pharmaceutical products, medicines/herbal remedies 5.9 % (10.9)
Clothing, often pirated copies 5.1 % (4.9)
Personal care items 3.4 % (6.6)
Source: Consumer Europe
Source: TT
