Press Release
☷Air Travel Consumer Report December 2023 Full Year 2023 Numbers
U.S. Department of Transportation ( By Press Release office)
Mar 03,2024
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Hey , the U . S . Department of Transportation just released its Air Travel Consumer Report for December 2023 and the whole year . It ' s got all the info on how airlines are doing in terms of on - time performance , mishandled baggage , wheelchairs and scooters , and oversales . The report is meant to help consumers know what kind of service they can expect from airlines . Basically , the DOT wants airlines to stick to their schedules and if they don ' t , they should make it up to the passengers . Good news though , in 2023 the quality of airline service got better . Only a tiny percentage of flights got canceled , way less than in previous years . And airlines also did better with being on time . Plus , there were fewer issues with mishandling baggage , wheelchairs , and scooters , and fewer people were denied boarding or stuck on the tarmac . The DOT has been working hard to make sure passengers have a better experience . Now the 10 biggest airlines promise to give you meals and rebooking for free if your flight gets messed up , and nine of them even guarantee hotel accommodations . You can find all this consumer - friendly info on the DOT ' s Airline Customer Service Dashboard at FlightRights . Gov . Oh , and the DOT also made sure that airlines offer fee - free family seating . They even made a dashboard to show which airlines offer that , and which ones don ' t . It ' s a way for parents to avoid paying extra just to sit with their kids . The DOT is also making sure that people with disabilities have better access to transportation . They made a rule that says new airplanes have to have more accessible lavatories . And in the future , airlines will have to provide lavatories that are big enough for a person with a disability and their attendant to use comfortably . And if airlines or ticket agents don ' t follow the DOT ' s rules , they can get in trouble . In fact , in 2023 , the DOT gave out the biggest fines ever to Southwest Airlines for not treating passengers right during the holiday season in 2022 . Southwest has to set up a $90 million compensation system for future passengers who experience significant delays and cancellations , in addition to the $600 million they already refunded . The Department of Transportation has helped return over $3 billion in refunds to travelers during the pandemic . In December 2023 , there were 603 , 756 flights operated , up 10 . 35% from the previous year . The on - time arrival rate for reporting marketing carriers was 83 . 9% in December 2023 . Delta Airlines had the highest on - time arrival rate , while JetBlue had the lowest . The cancellation rate for domestic flights in December 2023 was 0 . 4% . Complaints about airline service have led to a delay in the release of the Air Travel Consumer Report . The Department is getting an upgrade for handling consumer complaints , thanks to a grant from the Technology Modernization Fund . This will improve the experience for the many consumers who use the system and help the Department oversee the airline industry better . Airlines reported fewer tarmac delays in December compared to November , and the mishandled baggage rate was slightly higher . The Department will continue to monitor and investigate these issues to ensure a better experience for travelers . As part of its efforts to update its technology , the DOT ' s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection ( OACP ) is improving the options for airlines to submit their monthly and annual Reports on Incidents Involving Animals During Air Transport . While the new system is being developed , the OACP is allowing airlines to delay the submission of these reports . The annual data on incidents involving animals will be published once the DOT receives complete submissions of the 2023 data . In December 2023 , there were no incidents reported involving animals getting hurt or lost during air travel . This is a decrease from the one incident reported in November 2023 and the same number of incidents reported in December 2022 . If you have any complaints about air travel or your rights as a consumer , you can submit them online at http://airconsumer . dot . gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm . cfm or leave a voicemail at ( 202 ) 366 - 2220 . You can also mail your complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division , U . S . Department of Transportation , C - 75 , W96 - 432 , 1200 New Jersey Avenue , SE , Washington , DC 20590 . For more information on air travel consumer issues , visit https://www . transportation . gov/airconsumer . ### .
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