Complaints About Airlines Increased By Greater Than 322 Percent

Complaints about airlines pertaining to such items as on-time performance, mishandled baggage, and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters increased approximately six percent from July of 2022 to August of 2022; and they increased by 322.8 percent since before the 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic was officially declared by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

Complaints About Airlines Increased By Greater Than 322 Percent

“Of the 7,243 complaints received in August 2022, 4,052 (55.9%) were against U.S. carriers, 2,692 (37.2%) were against foreign air carriers, and 497 (6.9%) were against travel companies”, according to the latest Air Travel Consumer Report, which was issued from the Department of Transportation of the United States yesterday, Wednesday, October 26, 2022. The most complaints were about flight problems — followed by baggage and refunds.

The following list is a ranking of the rates of on-time arrivals by marketing carrier as of August of 2022:

1. Delta Air Lines network — 82.9 percent
2. Alaska Airlines network — 82.3 percent
3. Spirit Airlines — 81.6 percent
4. United Airlines network — 78.0 percent
5. American Airlines — 74.0 percent
6. Hawaiian Airlines — 73.5 percent
7. Frontier Airlines — 71.1 percent
8. Southwest Airlines — 67.7 percent
9. Allegiant Air — 66.5 percent
10. JetBlue Airways — 65.9 percent

The following list is a ranking of rates of canceled flights by marketing carrier as of August of 2022:

1. Hawaiian Airlines — 0.1 percent
2. Alaska Airlines network — 0.5 percent
3. Spirit Airlines — 0.9 percent
4. Frontier Airlines — 0.9 percent
5. Allegiant Air — 1.1 percent
6. Delta Air Lines network — 1.5 percent
7. JetBlue Airways — 2.4 percent
8. Southwest Airlines — 2.7 percent
9. American Airlines — 3.5 percent
10. United Airlines network — 3.6 percent

The report revealed an increase of complaints in air travel service of:

• 6.0 percent from 6,831 complaints in July 2022 to 7,243 complaints in August 2022
• 322.8 percent from 1,713 complaints received in August 2019 prior to the current 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic

Of those 7,243 complaints received in August 2022:

• 4,052 complaints — or 55.9 percent — were against air carriers based in the United States
• 2,692 complaints — or 37.2 percent — were against air carriers based outside of the United States
• 497 complaints — or 6.9 percent — were against travel companies

Also, of those 7,243 complaints received in August 2022:

• 2,321 complaints — or 32.0 percent — pertained to cancellations, delays, or other problems or deviations with flights from the schedules of airlines.
• 1,432 complaints — or 19.8 percent — pertained to refunds. Many passengers who were initially denied refunds have since received the required refunds. The Office of Aviation Consumer Protection of the Department of Transportation of the United States recently concluded its investigation of ten airlines; and is pursuing enforcement action against them for extreme delays in providing refunds for flights the airlines canceled or significantly changed — as well as also actively investigating the refund practices of additional airlines flying to, from, or within the United States.

The 598,166 flights which operated in August 2022 were 84.9 percent of the 704,553 flights operated in August 2019. Operated flights in August 2022 increased by 0.91 percent year-over-year from the 592,760 flights which operated in August 2021; and down 1.6 percent month-over-month from the 607,657 flights which operated in July 2022.

Final Boarding Call

The Air Travel Consumer Report is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines, as the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection of the Department of Transportation of the United States continues to monitor the operations of airlines to ensure that airlines are not engaging in unrealistic scheduling of flights and are complying with aviation consumer protection requirements — including ensuring consumers receive prompt refunds if they are no longer interested in continuing their travel when their flights are cancelled or significantly changed.

As the data from the Air Travel Consumer Report, consumer complaints, and other information which is secured from the airlines to inform its enforcement activities and the adequacy of existing rules, the Department of Transportation encourages consumers to file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online here or via voice mail at 202-366-2220, or you may send a complaint via postal mail to:

Aviation Consumer Protection Division
U.S. Department of Transportation
C-75, W96-432
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

Considering the chaotic summer of travel in 2022 in which prices had significantly increased while service and product quality was simultaneously markedly poorer, I am surprised that the percentage of complaints is not greater than 322.8 percent…

All photographs ©2007, ©2015, and ©2018 by Brian Cohen.