A pragmatic study of the X complaints and responses to complaints

Focus on British Airways and Saudi Airlines

Bibliographic Data

ID22342198
AuthorsDina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs (0000-0003-2943-987X, Prince Sultan University), Mervat M Ahmed (0000-0002-7231-5410, Kyoto University), Nahlah Mardini (Prince Sultan University)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue2
Pages232-261
Publication date2025-07-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLanguage and Dialogue (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2210-4119 • E-ISSN: 2210-4127
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/ld.00198.dak
OpenAlexW4410540320
LanguageEN
References cited22

The current study compares the realization of the speech acts of complaints and responding to complaints by Arabs versus Westerners in the X accounts of British Airways versus Saudi Airlines. We compiled 400 posts from the X accounts of the two airlines and coded them for complaint and complaint-response strategies as well as external and internal modifiers. The results of the Chi-square tests show that the Western customers of the British Airways used significantly more disapproval and accusation strategies than the Arab customers of the Saudi Airlines while the latter customers showed a stronger preference to employ the blame strategy in addition to directive acts. As for the responses to complaints, the representatives of the British Airways showed a stronger tendency to accept complaints through offering repairs, admitting responsibility, and excusing oneself whereas the representatives of the Saudi Airlines preferred to employ partial-acceptance strategies. The results are interpreted in light of the existing literature and the Mixed Games Model

Digital Communication and Language · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Psychology · Social Psychology

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