WASHINGTON (AP) — Air journey obtained extra depressing final 12 months, if the variety of client complaints filed with the U.S. authorities is any measure. The Transportation Division mentioned Friday that it obtained practically 97,000 complaints in 2023, up from about 86,000 the 12 months earlier than. The division mentioned there have been so many complaints that it took till July to type via the filings and compile the figures.That’s the very best variety of client complaints about airways since 2020, when airways have been sluggish to provide clients refunds after the coronavirus pandemic shut down air journey.The rise in complaints got here whilst airways canceled far fewer U.S. flights — 116,700, or 1.2% of the full, final 12 months, in contrast with about 210,500, or 2.3%, in 2022, in line with FlightAware knowledge. Nonetheless, delays remained stubbornly excessive final 12 months, at round 21% of all flights.
To date this 12 months, cancellations stay comparatively low — about 1.3% of all flights — however delays are nonetheless operating round 21%.Greater than two-thirds of all complaints final 12 months handled U.S. airways, however 1 / 4 lined international airways. Many of the relaxation have been about journey brokers and tour operators.
Complaints about treating passengers with disabilities rose by greater than one-fourth in contrast with 2022. Complaints of discrimination, whereas small in quantity, additionally rose sharply. Most have been about race or nationwide origin.
Airways obtain many extra complaints from vacationers who don’t understand how or don’t hassle to complain to the federal government, however the carriers don’t launch these numbers. The Transportation Division is modernizing its complaint-taking system, which the company says will assist it do a greater job overseeing the airline business. Nonetheless, the division now releases grievance numbers many months late. It didn’t challenge figures for the second half of 2023 till Friday.___The Transportation Division’s on-line grievance type is at https://safe.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint