Consumers flying within the United States experienced an upswing in the number of flight delays and cancelations throughout 2022. This increase led to an almost fourfold climb in airline consumer complaints, compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. These developments are noted in a recent report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) Education Fund called “The Plane Truth,” reflecting data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation on consumer complaints.
The Rise in Consumer Complaints
In 2022, airlines canceled 190,038 flights and delayed 1.44 million flights based on just-released data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. As consumers increasingly rely on air travel for both their leisure and work activities, they have become more vocal about their grievances against air carriers.
Airlines often offer credit or voucher deals to passengers whose flights have been canceled; however, these remain unpopular with customers who prefer refunds instead. Despite this, many airlines are reluctant to offer refunds as this could impact their overall revenue.
What To Do When Faced With Delayed or Cancelled Flights
If your flight gets canceled, remember that you are entitled to a full refund under the law. You should not accept credits or vouchers without asking relevant questions concerning expiration dates.
If you encounter any issues with flights being delayed or canceled, it is advisable to know your rights before getting stressed out at an airport. When booking your flights, bear in mind that price should not be your only consideration. You should also look into an airline’s policies for rebooking flights and management of past issues before choosing them.
The Department of Transportation rolled out an Airline Customer Service Dashboard last summer to help consumers research airline policies thoroughly to give them a better understanding when there is a problem with their flights.
Proposed Changes To Regulations
Congress members and the Department of Transportation are discussing changing certain rules concerning flight delays. One proposed change would require refunds for flights delayed three hours or more, with significant emphasis on domestic flights.
The Main Reasons for Flight Delays
In January–November 2022, there were 1,400,000 flight delays in the United States alone. According to new data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, air carrier delays led to 465,759 disrupted flights in America. Other causes include aircraft arriving late, National Aviation System issues, weather, diversions, cancellations, and security screenings.
California, Texas, and Florida lead the list of US states with the highest frequency of flight delays while New York comes fourth.
The Increase in Airline Traffic
The pandemic continues to impact airline industries across the globe; however, data released by industry experts show that US airline passenger traffic is steadily rising. The number of passengers carried by leading airlines increased by 194 million in 2022 compared to the total number transported during the previous year that marked a 30% year-on-year increase. In 2022, airlines in the United States carried 853 million passengers compared to 658 million in 2021 and 388 million in 2020.
During December 2022’s holiday period, a high percentage of flights scheduled for domestic travel got canceled following Southwest Airlines’ numerous cancellations (accounting for over half of industry-wide cancellations).
According to experts, US airline traffic will continue to grow substantially this year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels with an expected capacity of over two million passengers daily during March and April alone.
Furthermore, U.S. carriers plan to operate about 6% more seats during summer 2023 than they did in summer 2019, showing impressive growth potential as the economy recovers gradually from the pandemic.
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