Climbed 20 Percent Over Same Period In 2014

Airline consumer complaints filed with DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division during the first six months of this year were up 20.3 percent from the first six months of 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released Tuesday.

From January to June 2015, the Department received 9,542 consumer complaints, up from the total of 7,935 received during the first six months of 2014.  In June 2015, the Department received 2,052 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 47.3 percent from the total of 1,393 filed in June 2014 and up 37.5 percent from the 1,492 received in May 2015.

In addition, in June 2015, airlines reported two tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and no tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights.  The reported tarmac delays are under investigation by the Department.

The consumer report also includes data on on-time performance, cancellations, chronically delayed flights, and the causes of flight delays filed with the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by the reporting carriers.

In addition, the consumer report contains statistics on mishandled baggage reports filed by consumers with the carriers, passengers denied confirmed space (oversales/bumping) as filed with BTS by the carriers, and aviation service complaints filed with DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division by consumers regarding a range of issues such as flight problems, baggage, reservation and ticketing, refunds, consumer service, disability, and discrimination.  The consumer report also includes reports of incidents involving the loss, death, or injury of animals traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers.

FMI: www.bts.gov