The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: September seventeenth, airing airline complaints.

Busy flight schedules, crowded airports and imperious attitudes of many airline personnel have passengers steaming. Gripes abound, but few travelers know what rights they have when their scheduled flights are delayed, diverted or canceled. That's not surprising, since for the last 22 years, each airline has been free to do what it wants.

First, understand that no carrier guarantees its schedules. Factors like bad weather, heavy air traffic, even mechanical problems are considered beyond the airlines' control. Each carrier sets its own guidelines about passenger amenities in these situations and publishes them in its "Conditions of Carriage and Related Regulations." Though airlines often allow airport staff leeway to dole out amenities such as free phone calls and cab fares, it's generally up to passengers to ask.

If a carrier is responsible for a canceled departure or flight delay that lasts more than four hours, you might get a free meal or perhaps a hotel room, if the delay caused you to miss a connection. If a flight's diverted by bad weather, expect free ground transportation to your original destination. No carrier provides compensation for financial losses or inconvenience caused by delays.

If you don't get courtesies and amenities to which you feel entitled, write or e-mail the airline's consumer affairs department or its president. Send copies to the Department of Transportation and your travel agent. The D.O.T. also has a hotline to register complaints about airline service, and the F.A.A has a similar line regarding matters of safety. And several passenger rights organizations also log complaints.

FMI To register complaints about airline service, call the Department of Transportation consumer hotline at 202-366-2220, or send e-mail to airconsumer@osr.dot.gov. Neither however is staffed to provide assistance.

If you don't get amenities or compensation to which you feel entitled, write the airline's consumer affairs department or its president. Include dates, flight numbers, names of personnel involved, along with details what happened and what you expect the airline to do. Attach copies of tickets, receipts, and other relevant documents. Sign the letter, and if you're a member of the airline's frequent flyer club, include your account number.

Send copies to the D.O.T. (C 75, Room 4107, Washington DC, 20590) and your travel agent, who may be able to add clout to your complaint.

For matters concerning airline safety violations, call the FAA at 1-800-322-7873.

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