Air Travel Consumer Report: August Consumer Complaints Up 6 Percent From July, More Than 320 Percent Above Pre-Pandemic

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WASHINGTON – The US Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline services collected during the month of August for on-time service, consumer complaints received, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters. There was a 6.0% increase in airline complaints from July to August, and complaints are more than 320% higher than before the pandemic. The previous report from July showed a 16.5% increase from June to July, and complaints were more than 260% above the pre-pandemic level.

ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. The DOT remains committed to ensuring that passengers are treated well and is concerned about the recent flight cancellations and disruptions. In the summer, the department launched a new airline customer service dashboard to help people/people know what they have when a flight is canceled or delayed due to an aircraft problem. As a result of creating this dashboard and Secretary Buttigieg asking airlines to improve their operations, nine airlines now certify food and nine hotels certify. Previously, none of the ten major US airlines guaranteed meals or hotels when a delay or cancellation was in the hands of the airline.

The department is taking steps to deal with flight delays and cancellations, including monitoring airline operations to ensure that airlines are not operating overbooked flights and that they are complying with airline consumer protection requirements. This includes ensuring that customers receive prompt refunds if they no longer wish to continue their journey in the event of a flight cancellation or major change.

DOT uses information from ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it receives from airlines to inform its actions and the adequacy of existing regulations.

Aircraft Services

The 598,166 flights that took place in August 2022 were 84.9% of the 704,553 flights that took place before the epidemic in August 2019. The flights that were operated in August 2022 increased by 0.91% year-on-year from the 592,760 flights that were operated in August 61% to 202% in the month of August 202% Over the month from the 607,657 flights that took place in July 2022.

In August 2022, the 10 network advertising carriers reported 613,649 scheduled flights, 15,483 (2.5%) of which were cancelled. In August 2021, the same airlines reported 611,494 scheduled flights, 18,734 (3.1%) of which were cancelled. In July 2022, airlines scheduled 618,790 flights, of which 11,133 (1.8%) were cancelled. In August 2019, airlines scheduled 717,456 flights, of which 12,903 (1.8%) were cancelled.

August 2022 Due

In August 2022, those who provide marketing reports sent 75.6% from 74.9% in July 2022 and down from 77.6% of the pre-pandemic August 2019. 75.8%.

Maximum Access Rates for Commercial Carriers for August 2022 (Table 1 ATCR)

Delta Air Lines Network – 82.9%
Alaska Airlines Network – 82.3%
Spirit Airlines – 81.6%

Minimum Commercial Cargo Rates Until August 2022 (Table 1 ATCR)

JetBlue Airways – 65.9%
Air Allegiant – 66.5%
Southwest Airlines – 67.7%

August 2022 Flight Cancellation

In August 2022, carriers reported canceling 2.5% of their domestic flights, down from 3.1% in August 2021 and up from 1.8% in the pre-pandemic August 2019 period.

Lowest Airline Fares for August 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

Hawaiian Airlines – 0.1%
Alaska Airlines Network – 0.5%
Airlines – 0.9%

Highest Rates for Advertised Flights Canceled August 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

United Airlines Network – 3.6%
American Airlines Network – 3.5%
Southwest Airlines – 2.7%

Complaints About Airline Service

In August 2022, the DOT received 7,243 complaints about airline services from consumers, up 6.0% from the 6,831 complaints received in July 2022 and up 322.8% from the 1,713 complaints received before the pandemic in August 2019.

Of the 7,243 complaints received in August 2022, 4,052 (55.9%) were against US carriers, 2,692 (37.2%) were against foreign air carriers, and 497 (6.9%) were against travel companies.

Flight problems were the highest category of complaints received in August 2022. Of the 7,243 complaints received, 2,321 (32.0%) related to cancellations, delays, or other differences in flight schedules. The OACP monitors the performance of aircraft to ensure that aircraft do not make incorrect timings. OACP also communicates with airlines that have been canceled or delayed to ensure that they are responsible for refunding passengers who have chosen to refuse an alternative offered by a canceled or significantly changed flight, reminding them of their responsibility to comply with their customer service plan that identifies the services that the airline provides in order to reduce the problems of people caused by flight cancellations and poor communication. The department oversees airline operations and reviews complaints received against airlines to determine whether consumer rights are being violated. (Read more about airline buyer rights here.)

Property was the second largest category of complaints received in August 2022. Of the 7,243 complaints received, 1,675 (23.1%) were about property. Of the 1,675 cargo complaints, 1,079 were against foreign air carriers (64.4%) and 596 (35.6%) were against US carriers. The OACP has reached out to carriers that have experienced an increase in the number of baggage complaints to find out more about the reasons for the spikes and to ensure that airlines comply with baggage requirements, including refunding passengers fair, accurate and realistic costs. their bags are late.

Also, of the 7,243 complaints received in August 2022, 1,432 (19.8%) involved refunds. OACP continues to liaise with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with refund requirements. Thousands of passengers who were initially denied refunds and contacted the Department have received refunds. The department has taken action and will take action against non-ticketing pilots as required. The OACP is trying to force 10 airlines to significantly delay refunds for flights that have failed or changed significantly. OACP is also actively investigating reimbursement options for other airlines flying to, from, or within the United States. Last year, the OACP assessed the largest fine in the history of the department because of the buyer’s security violation of a foreign air carrier because it was too late to provide refunds to thousands of buyers of aircraft in or in the United States that the carrier canceled or changed significantly.

Tarmac delay

In August 2022, airlines reported 72 delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 17 delays reported in July 2022. In August 2022, airlines reported delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to four tarmac. The delay was reported in July 2022.

Pilots must have and comply with guarantees that they will not allow aircraft to be on the tarmac for more than three hours on domestic flights and four hours on international flights without giving the passengers the opportunity to travel, according to exceptions and safety, security. , and reasons related to Air Traffic Control. The exception is a delay in take-off if the pilots begin to return the aircraft to a suitable landing area to disembark passengers at that time.

Further delays in pitching are investigated by the Department.

Mishandled Baggage

In August 2022, carriers reported carrying 41.0 million bags and posting a mishandled cargo rate of 0.64%, similar to the July 2022 level of 0.64% and higher than the pre-pandemic rate in August 2019 of 0.61%.

In the previous three-year reports (2019 to 2021), the department calculated the number of mishandled goods based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 bags stored. Now the department displays the unregulated items as a quantity of goods (for example, per 100 bags). This is related to how wheelchairs and scooters are calculated and displayed.

Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters

In August 2022, reporting carriers saw 67,840 scooters and 1,057 malfunctions for a 1.56% scooter mishandling rate, lower than the 1.63% mishandling in July 2022 and down 1% from last year. the epidemic of August 2019.

Skipping / Multiplying

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carriers, is reported quarterly rather than monthly.
In the second quarter of 2022, the 10 US carriers reported a denied-boarding rate, or collision, of 0.36 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the 0.17 in the second quarter of 2021 and higher than the 0.31 in the second quarter of 2019.

Events About Animals

In August 2022, the carrier reported that there were no incidents related to the death, injury, or loss of animals during the flight, down from the two reports submitted in July 2022 and before the outbreak in August 2019.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

In August 2022, the department received a total of 195 complaints related to disabilities, from 248 complaints related to disabilities received in July 2022, but from 109 complaints received before the epidemic in August 2019.

Complaints About Discrimination

In August 2022, the department received 14 complaints related to discrimination – 11 complaints related to race, one complaint related to parentage/ethnicity, and two complaints related to nationality. This is based on 13 complaints received in July 2022 and 10 complaints recorded in August 2019.

The Department is committed to combating discrimination of any kind and will take action if it determines that a carrier has violated Federal anti-discrimination laws.

Consumers can file airline consumer complaints or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they can send complaints to Aviation Consumer Protection Division. , US Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

ATCR and other airline consumer information of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer.

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