Air Travel Consumer Report: Consumer complaints up since April, still more than 200 percent of pre-pandemic levels

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) for May 2022 on airline performance data, on-time performance, customer complaints received, baggage mishandling, and wheelchair and scooter discrepancies. Complaints at airlines dropped 15% between April and May, but complaints are still 200% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

ATCR is designed to help consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. DOT is committed to ensuring that airline passengers are treated fairly and is concerned about the recent flight cancellations and disruptions. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) is monitoring airlines’ activities to ensure that airlines are not engaging in unrealistic flight schedules and are complying with aviation consumer protection requirements. This includes ensuring consumers receive a quick refund in the event their flights are canceled or drastically changed if they no longer wish to continue their journey. DOT uses data from ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it receives from airlines to inform enforcement actions and the adequacy of existing regulations.

Flight operations

In May, the Covid-19 outbreak continued to cause significant changes to airline schedules and operations. In the year Up from 566,893 flights per month in April 2022.

In May 2022, 10 commercial network carriers reported 602,950 scheduled domestic flights, of which 11,993 (2.0%) were canceled. In May 2021, the same airlines canceled 2350 (0.5%) of 520,059 scheduled domestic flights. In April 2022, airlines had scheduled 580,290 domestic flights, of which 13,397 (2.3%) were cancelled.

May 2022 arrival on time

In the year 76.5%

Top Trading Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates May 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

  1. Hawaiian Airlines – 86.0%
  2. Delta Air Lines Network – 80.7%
  3. Alaska Airlines Network – 80.2%

Minimum Commercial Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates May 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

  1. Frontier Airlines – 64.6%
  2. Allegheny Air – 66.0%
  3. Spirit Airlines – 68.8%

May 2022 flight cancellations

In May 2022, commercial carriers canceled 2.0% of scheduled domestic flights, up from 0.5% in May 2021 and the same rate as 2.0% in pre-pandemic May 2019.

Lowest Commercial Carrier Rates for Canceled Flights May 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

  1. Hawaiian Airlines – 0.1%
  2. Southwest Airlines – 0.7%
  3. Frontier Airlines – 1.4%

Maximum Transaction Carrier Rates for Canceled Flights May 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

  1. Delta Air Lines Network – 2.7%
  2. United Airlines Network – 2.4%
  3. JetBlue Airlines – 2.3%

Complaints about airline service

In May 2022, DOT received 4,344 complaints from consumers about airline service, a 14.5% decrease from the 5,079 complaints received in April 2022 and a 237.0% increase from the 1,289 complaints received in May 2019 before the outbreak.

Of the 4,344 complaints filed in May 2022, 2,413 (55.5%) were against US carriers, 1,472 (33.9%) against foreign airlines and 457 (10.5%) against travel companies.

Also, of the 4,344 complaints received in May 2022, 1,326 (30.5%) were related to refunds. The department’s Bureau of Aviation Consumer Protection continues to liaise with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with refund requirements. Many passengers who were initially denied refunds received the necessary refunds. The department has taken enforcement action as necessary against illegal airlines and ticket agents.

Flight problems were the second highest category of complaints received in May 2022. Of the 4,344 complaints, 1,034 (23.8%) were about deviations from airlines’ schedules, delays or other discrepancies. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) regularly contacts canceled or delayed airlines to remind passengers who wish to accept an alternative to a canceled or rescheduled flight that they are obligated to provide prompt refunds. The airline is required to maintain and follow a customer service plan that identifies the services provided by the airline to address passenger inconvenience caused by flight disruptions and disruptions. The department monitors the functioning of airlines and investigates complaints against airlines to ensure that consumer rights are not violated.

Tarma delays

In the year Delays reported in April 2022.

Airlines are required to ensure and comply with regulations that do not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours without giving passengers the option to deplane in exceptional safety-related circumstances, and four hours for international flights. , and air traffic control related factors. There is an exception for departure delay if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable landing point.

Extended pavement delays will be investigated by the department.

Wrong baggage

In May 2022, commercial carriers reported handling 42.0 million bags and posted an incorrect baggage rate of 0.56%, compared to a peak rate of 0.55% for April 2022 and a low rate of 0.63% for pre-pandemic May 2019.

For the past three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the department calculated the amount of mishandled baggage based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The Department is now displaying mishandled baggage information as a percentage (ie per 100 bags packed). This is consistent with the way wheelchairs and scooters that are not properly maintained are calculated and displayed.

Improperly maintained wheelchairs and scooters

In the year Epidemic May 2019

Abuse/Oversales

Unlike other airlines’ data, oversales data is reported quarterly rather than monthly.
For the first quarter of 2022, the 10 U.S. carriers reporting transaction services posted an unauthorized boarding or towing rate of 0.44 per 10,000 passengers, up from 0.08 in the first quarter of 2021 and 0.32 in the first quarter. of 2019.

Events related to animals

In May 2022, carriers reported zero incidents involving death, injury or loss of animals while traveling by air, compared to one report in April 2022 and four reports from the May 2019 pre-outbreak.

Complaints about the treatment of disabled passengers

In May 2022, the department received a total of 158 disability-related complaints, compared to 162 disability-related complaints received in April 2022, but compared to 76 complaints received before the outbreak in May 2019.

Complaints about discrimination

In the year This is from eight complaints received in April 2022 and nine complaints received in May 2019 before the outbreak.

Among the growing number of complaints are complaints against Lufthansa, alleging that the carrier discriminated against Jewish passengers from boarding Lufthansa Flight 1334 from Frankfurt to Budapest, which continued its journey from New York. The Department is committed to combating all forms of discrimination and will take action against any service provider found to have violated federal anti-discrimination laws.

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

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

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