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Washington – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) for March 2023 and the first quarter of 2023, which collects airline performance data on on-time performance, mishandled baggage and wheelchairs and scooters.
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 that flights operate as scheduled. Cancellations in the first three months of 2023 remained below 2%, significantly lower than last year’s 2.7% cancellation rate and the 4.1% rate in the first three months of 2022.. The department is currently investigating several domestic airlines that are not participating in the unrealistic flight schedule.
DOT uses data from ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it receives from airlines to inform enforcement actions and the adequacy of existing regulations.
DOT is taking unprecedented action to protect the traveling public. Last year, the DOT issued the largest fine in the history of the Consumer Protection Bureau – helping hundreds of thousands of people recover hundreds of millions of dollars. And since 2021, DOT has helped recover more than $1 billion in refunds to travelers.
Earlier this month, the DOT announced plans to issue a new rule that would require airlines to provide compensation and cover expenses such as meals, hotels and rebooking when they are responsible for grounding passengers. After a two-year push by the DOT to improve the passenger experience, 10 major airlines offer meals and free travel on the same airline and nine guarantee hotel stays, according to the department’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard. Last week, the DOT expanded its dashboard on FlightRights.Gov to determine which airlines offer cash compensation, offer travel credits or vouchers, or reward frequent flyer miles when they cause flight delays or cancellations. DOT’s proposed rulemaking, if finally adopted, would mandate passenger compensation and amenities to ensure that passengers are taken care of when airlines experience flight disruptions.
Additionally, earlier this year, President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg committed to making airlines free family seats. Prior to their announcement, no airline had committed to guaranteeing a free family seat. Now three airlines have pledged to guarantee free family seats, and the DOT is issuing a rule requiring all airlines to do so. Secretary Buttigieg has introduced legislation to Congress that would require airlines to offer free family seats.
To help consumers evaluate an airline’s family seat commitment, in March 2023, the DOT released a new Family Seat Dashboard highlighting airlines that guarantee free family seats, making it easier for parents to avoid paying unnecessary fees. Fees for sitting with their children when flying.
Flight operations
The 608,387 flights operated in March 2023 are 104.64% of the 581,434 flights operated in March 2022. From 526,543 flights in February 2023.
In March 2023, 10 commercial network carriers reported 616,234 scheduled domestic flights, of which 7,847 (1.3%) were canceled. In the year In February 2023, airlines had scheduled 536,229 domestic flights, of which 9,686 (1.8%) were cancelled. In the year In March 2022, airlines had scheduled 590,542 domestic flights, of which 9108 (1.5%) were cancelled.
March 2023 arrival on time
In the year In March 2023, marketing service providers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75.4%, up from 79.4% in February 2023 and 77.2% in March 2022. Arriving on time year after year. The 2023 rate is 76.9%.
Top marketing service provider arrival rates in March 2023 (ATCR Table 1)
- Delta Air Lines Network – 79.2%
- Alaska Airlines Network – 78.1%
- United Airlines Network – 76.9%
Lowest Trading Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates March 2023 (ATCR Table 1)
- Hawaiian Airlines – 59.5%
- Spirit Airlines – 64.0%
- Allegiant Air – 64.2%
In the year In the first three months of 2023, the reporting carrier posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.89%, up from 76.35% during the same period in 2022.
March 2023 flight cancellations
In March 2023, commercial carriers canceled 1.3 percent of scheduled domestic flights, down from 1.8 percent in February 2023 and 1.5 percent in March 2022.
Lowest Commercial Carrier Rates for Canceled Flights March 2023 (ATCR Table 6)
- Hawaiian Airlines – 0.7%
- Allegiant Air – 0.8%
- Southwest Airlines – 0.9%
Highest Transaction Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights March 2023 (ATCR Table 6)
- Delta Air Lines Network – 1.7%
- Spirit Airlines – 1.7%
- JetBlue Airlines – 1.6%
In the year In the first three months of 2023, the reporting service carriers reported a 1.7 percent decline from 4.1 percent in the same period in 2022.
Complaints about airline service
The department has received a large number of air travel service complaints and inquiries against airlines and ticket agents in recent months. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection is working diligently to address the many complaints and inquiries submitted. However, the release of the ATCR has been delayed because of the time required to review and process these consumer complaints. Consumer complaint data for March 2023 will be publicly available in July at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/air-travel-consumer-reports in a common format.
Tarma delays
In the year In March 2023, airlines reported 13 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, and 12 tarmac delays in February 2023. Delays reported in February 2023.
Airlines are required to ensure and comply with the requirement that aircraft remain on the tarmac for no more than three hours without giving passengers the option to disembark, and four hours for international flights, in exceptional circumstances related to safety and security. , and air traffic control related factors. There is an exception for departure delays if the airline starts returning the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to pick up passengers during those times.
Extended pavement delays will be investigated by the department.
Wrong baggage
In the year In March 2023, commercial carriers handled 42.0 million bags, representing a mishandled baggage rate of 0.58%, lower than February 2023’s rate of 0.61%, but higher than March 2022’s rate of 0.57%.
For the first quarter of 2023, carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.64%, equal to the 0.64 rate posted in the fourth quarter of 2022 and less than the 0.65% rate posted in the first quarter of 2022.
The department has started displaying mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e. per 100 bags packed) in January 2022.
In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2021), the department calculated the amount of mishandled baggage based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags.
Improperly maintained wheelchairs and scooters
In the year In March 2023, commercial carriers reported inspecting 61,972 wheelchairs and scooters and using 909 improperly handled wheelchairs and scooters, down 1.54 percent in February 2023 and 1.43 percent less than in March 2023. .
For the first quarter of 2023, carriers reported a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.53%, which was lower than the 1.54 rate posted in the fourth quarter of 2022, but higher than the 1.47% rate posted in the first quarter of 2022.
Abuse/Oversales
Unlike other air carriers, data is reported/sold quarterly rather than monthly.
For the first quarter of 2023, the top 10 U.S. commercial service carriers posted an unauthorized boarding or deboarding rate of 0.30 per 10,000 passengers, lower than both the 0.32 and 0.44 posted rates in the fourth quarter of 2022. First quarter of 2022.
Events related to animals
In the year In March 2023, carriers reported no incidents of animal death, injury or loss, down from four reports in February 2023 and zero reports in March 2022.
Consumers can file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voice mail at (202) 366-2220 or 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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