air travel consumer report december 2022

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Air Travel Consumer Report: December 2021, Full Year 2021 Numbers

OST 10-21 Contact: [email protected]  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of December 2021 and the full calendar year 2021 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, complaints received, and oversales. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at  https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer . 

In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to result in significant changes to airline schedules and operations. The volume of flights operated in 2021 (6.2 million), although more than 2020, was 78.1% of the volume of flights operated in pre-pandemic 2019 (7.9 million). In 2021, the 10 marketing carriers reported 6.3 million scheduled flights, 78.0% of the 8.1 million scheduled in 2019. The same airlines reported canceling 111,018 flights in 2021, or 1.76% of their schedule, down from 1.90% in 2019.

The 566,465 flights operated in December 2021 were 85.2% of the 672,765 flights operated in pre-pandemic December 2019. Operated flights in December 2021 were up 45.6% year-over-year from the 393,549 flights operated in December 2020 and down 1.2% month-over-month from the 573,134 flights operated in November 2021.

In December 2021, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 580,238 scheduled domestic flights, 13,773 (2.4 %) of which were canceled. In pre-pandemic December 2019, the same airlines reported 679,941 scheduled domestic flights, 7,176 (1.1%) of which were canceled. In November 2021, airlines scheduled 576,693 domestic flights, of which 3,559 (0.6%) were canceled.

Full-Year 2021 On-Time Arrival

Reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 81.1% for 2021, down from an annual on-time arrival rate of 84.5% in 2020 but up from an annual on-time arrival rate of 79.0% in 2019.

Highest Marketing Carrier Annual On-Time Arrival Rates 2021 (ATCR Table 1)

• Hawaiian Airlines – 90.1%
• Delta Air Lines Network – 88.2%
• Alaska Airlines Network – 83.2%

Lowest Marketing Carrier Annual On-Time Arrival Rates 2021 (ATCR Table 1C)

• Allegiant Air – 68.3%
• JetBlue Airways – 72.3%
• Southwest Airlines– 75.8%

December 2021 On-Time Arrival

In December 2021, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.0%, down from 84.3% in November 2021 and 87.2% in December 2020.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2021 (ATCR Table 1) 

• American Airlines – 82.2%
• Delta Air Lines Network – 80.0%
• Hawaiian Airlines – 77.3%

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2021 (ATCR Table 1)

• Allegiant Air – 61.1%
• JetBlue Airways – 64.5%
• Alaska Airlines Network – 65.6%

Full-Year 2021 Flight Cancellations

In 2021, reporting marketing carriers canceled 1.76% of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than the rate of both 6.0% in 2020 and 1.90% in pre-pandemic 2019. A flight is listed as canceled if it was listed in a carrier’s computer reservation system during the seven calendar days prior to a scheduled departure but was not operated.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Annual Rates of Canceled Flights 2021 (ATCR Table 6B)

• Hawaiian Airlines – 0.4%  
• Delta Air Lines Network – 0.6%   
• Frontier Airlines – 1.4%    

Highest Marketing Carrier Annual Rates of Canceled Flights 2021 (ATCR Table 6B)

• Allegiant Air – 3.3%    
• Spirit Airlines– 3.0%    
• Southwest Airlines – 2.2%    

December 2021 Flight Cancellations

In December 2021, reporting marketing carriers canceled 2.4% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate of both 0.6% in November 2021 and 1.1% in December 2020.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2021 (ATCR Table 6)

• Southwest Airlines – 1.1%  
• American Airlines Network – 1.1%   
• Frontier Airlines – 1.6%    

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2021 (ATCR Table 6)

• Allegiant Air – 6.3%    
• Alaska Airlines Network– 5.5%    
• Spirit Airlines – 4.8%    

Tarmac Delays

In December 2021, airlines reported 33 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 2 tarmac delays reported in November 2021 and 3 tarmac delays reported in December 2020. In December 2021, airlines reported 0 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to 2 tarmac delays reported in November 2021 and 2 tarmac delays in December 2020.

For all of 2021, airlines reported 155 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, up from 55 in 2020 and down from 305 in 2019. Also in 2021, airlines reported 33 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, up from 6 in 2020 and 26 in 2019.

Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.

Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.

Mishandled Baggage

For the full year 2021, reporting marketing carriers handled nearly 393 million bags, posting a rate of 5.1 mishandled bags per 1,000 checked, which is higher than 2020’s rate of 4.1 and lower than 2019’s rate of 5.9.

In December 2021, reporting marketing carriers handled more than 40 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 6.6 mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags, a higher rate than both the November 2021 rate of 4.6 and the December 2020 rate of 4.2.

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

For the full year 2021, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 532,306 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 7,239 for a rate of 1.36% mishandled. That is higher than the rate of 1.29% mishandled in 2020 but lower than the rate of 1.54% mishandled in 2019.

In December 2021, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 50,447 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 834 for a rate of 1.65% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, lower than the rate of 1.73% mishandled in November 2021 but higher than the rate of 1.15% mishandled in December 2020.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly.

For the year, the reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping rate of 0.17 per 10,000 passengers in 2021. That is higher than the rate of 0.11 in 2020 but lower than the rate of 0.24 in 2019.

For the fourth quarter of 2021, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.23 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.16 in the third quarter of 2021 and the rate of 0.03 in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Incidents Involving Animals

In 2021, carriers reported seven animal deaths, injuries to fourteen other animals, and zero lost animals, for a total of 21 incidents, up from the 10 incident reports filed for calendar year 2020 and up from the 19 incident reports filed for calendar year 2019. In 2021, 256,114 animals were transported by airlines, for a rate of 0.82 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In 2020, 311,149 animals were transported, for a rate of 0.32 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In 2019, 404,556 animals were transportation, for a rate of 0.47 incidents per 10,000 animals transported.

In December 2021, carriers reported four incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, up from the one report filed in December 2020, and up from the one report filed in November 2021. The December 2021 incidents involved the death of one animal and injuries to three other animals. 

Complaints About Airline Service

In 2021, the Department received 49,958 complaints. This is down 51.29 percent from the 102,560 complaints received in 2020 but up 225.84 percent from the 15,332 complaints received in 2019. Of the 49,958 complaints received in 2021, 29,507 (59%) concerned refunds.

In December 2021, DOT received 4,242 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 19.73 percent from the 3,543 complaints received in November 2021 and up 10.12 percent from 3,852 complaints filed in December 2020.

The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection continues to communicate with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with the refund requirements. Many passengers who had initially been denied refunds have received the required refunds. The Department has taken and will take enforcement action against noncompliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

In 2021, the Department received 1,394 disability complaints, up 157.67 percent from the total of 541 received in 2020 and up 54.03 percent from the 905 received in 2019.

In December 2021, the Department received a total of 180 disability-related complaints, up from the 146 disability-related complaints received in November 2021, and up from the 46 complaints received in December 2020. 

Complaints About Discrimination

In 2021, the Department received 132 discrimination complaints – 81 complaints regarding race, 10 complaints regarding ancestry/ethnicity, 13 complaints regarding national origin, six complaints regarding color, nine complaints regarding religion, nine complaints regarding sex, and four complaints categorized as “other.”  This is an increase of 169.39 percent from the total of 49 discrimination complaints filed in 2020 and an increase of 23.36 percent from the total of 107 discrimination complaints filed in 2019. 

In December 2021, the Department received five complaints alleging discrimination – three complaints regarding race, one complaint regarding ancestry/ethnicity, and one complaint categorized as “other.” This is down from the 17 complaints received in November 2021, and remained the same from the five complaints recorded in December 2020.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at  http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm  or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

U.S. Air Travel Consumer Report: December 2022, Full Year 2022 Numbers

Flight Operations

The 547,134 flights operated in December 2022 were 81.33% of the 672,765 flights operated in pre-pandemic December 2019.  Operated flights in December 2022 were down 3.41% year-over-year from the 566,465 flights operated in December 2021 and down 2.48% month-over-month from 561,067 flights operated in November 2022.

In December 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 578,321 scheduled domestic flights, 31,187 (5.4%) of which were canceled. In December 2021, the same airlines reported 566,465 scheduled domestic flights, 13,773 (2.4%) of which were canceled. In November 2022, airlines scheduled 567,507 domestic flights, of which 6,440 (1.1%) were canceled. In December 2019, airlines scheduled 679,941 domestic flights, of which 7,176 (1.1%) were canceled.

December 2022 On-Time Arrival

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 69.0% down from 80.0% in November 2022 and down from 78.2% in pre-pandemic December 2019. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2022 is 76.7%.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• Delta Air Lines Network – 77.5%
• American Airlines Network – 73.7%
• United Airlines Network – 71.8% 

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• Frontier Airlines – 56.6%
• Allegiant Air – 57.2%
• Hawaiian Airlines – 58.1%

For calendar year 2022, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.72% down from 78.97% for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.

December 2022 Flight Cancellations

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers canceled 5.4% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate 1.1% in both November 2022 and in pre-pandemic December 2019.  Of the industry-wide 5.4% cancellation rate in December 2022, 54.51% of the cancellations were attributed to Southwest. Southwest canceled 14,042 flights from December 24 to December 31, which was 72.3% of the total flights that reporting carriers canceled during that time.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• American Airlines Network – 1.8%  
• JetBlue Airways – 1.9%   
• Delta Air Lines Network – 2.9%    

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• Southwest Airlines – 14.6%    
• Alaska Airlines Network – 7.6%    
• Allegiant Air – 5.3%    

For calendar year 2022, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate of 2.7% up from 1.9% for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.

Complaints About Airline Service

The Department received a high volume of air travel service complaints and inquiries against airlines and ticket agents in December 2022. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection is working diligently to process the large number of complaints and inquiries received. Nevertheless, the issuance of the ATCR has been delayed because of the time needed to review and process these consumer complaints. Consumer complaint data for December 2022 and the full year 2022 will be publicly available in its usual format in early April at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/air-travel-consumer-reports.

Tarmac Delays

In December 2022, airlines reported 79 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to eight tarmac delays reported in November 2022. In December 2022, airlines reported three tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to five tarmac delays reported in November 2022. For calendar year 2022, airlines reported 376 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and 21 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights. For calendar year 2021, airlines reported 155 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and nine tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights.

Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.

Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.

Mishandled Baggage

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers handled 40.4 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 1.09%, higher than the rate of 0.51% in November 2022 and higher than the rate of 0.66% in pre-pandemic December 2019. Of the industry-wide 1.09% mishandling rate in December 2022, 26.68% of the mishandlings were attributed to Southwest.

For calendar year 2022, the carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.64%, higher rate than the 2019 rate of 0.59%.

In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The Department is now displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned). This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 62,086 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 1,008 for a rate of 1.62% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.48% mishandled in November 2022 and higher than the rate of 1.53% mishandled in pre-pandemic December 2019.

For calendar year 2022, the carriers posted a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.54%, equal to the 2019 rate of 1.54%.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the fourth quarter of 2022, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.30 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.23 in the fourth quarter of 2021 and higher than the rate of 0.16 in the fourth quarter of 2019.

For calendar year 2022, the carriers posted a bumping/oversales rate of 0.32 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the pre-pandemic 2019 rate of 0.24.

Incidents Involving Animals

For calendar year 2022, carriers reported seven animal deaths, injuries to one other animal, and one lost animal, for a total of nine incidents, down from the 19 incident reports filed for pre-pandemic calendar year 2019. 

For calendar year 2022, 188,223 animals were transported by airlines, for a rate of 0.48 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In pre-pandemic 2019, 404,556 animals were transported, for a rate of 0.47 incidents per 10,000 animals transported.

In December 2022, carriers reported no incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from both the one report filed in November 2022 and the two reports filed in pre-pandemic December 2019.

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Air Travel Consumer Report: January 2022 Numbers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of January 2022 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, complaints received, and oversales. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. It also contains information on complaints involving passenger and baggage security screening received by the Transportation Security Administration, which for the first time is available in a more comprehensive format. The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at  https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer . 

In January, the COVID-19 pandemic (particularly the spike in COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant) continued to result in significant changes to airline schedules and operations. The 528,070 flights operated in January 2022 were 85.3% of the 619,099 flights operated in pre-pandemic January 2019. Operated flights in January 2022 were up 51.0% year-over-year from the 375,229 flights operated in January 2021 and down 6.8% month-over-month from the 566,465 flights operated in December 2021.

In January 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 563,737 scheduled domestic flights, 35,667 (6.3 %) of which were canceled. In January 2021, the same airlines reported 379,384 scheduled domestic flights, 4,155 (1.1%) of which were canceled. In December 2021, airlines scheduled 580,238 domestic flights, of which 13,773 (2.4%) were canceled.

January 2022 On-Time Arrival

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75. 3%, down from 76.0% in December 2021 and 78.4.0% in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• Delta Air Lines Network – 79.4%
• American Airlines Network– 78.0%
• Hawaiian Airlines – 77.9%  

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• JetBlue Airways – 61.2%
• Allegiant Air – 65.5%
• Frontier Airlines – 69.4%  

January 2022 Flight Cancellations

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers canceled 6.3% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate of both 2.4% in December 2021 and 3.1% in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• Spirit Airlines – 3.4%  
• Hawaiian Airlines – 3.7%   
• Frontier Airlines – 4.5%      

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• JetBlue Airways – 9.8%    
• United Airlines– 8.7%    
• Allegiant Air – 8.3%      

Tarmac Delays

In January 2022, airlines reported 14 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 33 tarmac delays reported in December 2021 and 10 tarmac delays reported in pre-pandemic January 2019. In January 2022, airlines reported 5 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to 0 tarmac delays reported in December 2021 and 6 tarmac delays in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.

Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.

Mishandled Baggage

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers handled 31.4 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.81%, a higher rate than both the December 2021 rate of 0.66% and the pre-pandemic January 2019 rate of 0.06%.

In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The Department is now displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned).  This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 35,150 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 647 for a rate of 1.84% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.65% mishandled in December 2021 but lower than the rate of 2.1% mishandled in pre-pandemic January 2019, which is the highest rate on record.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly.

For the fourth quarter of 2021, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.23 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.16 in the third quarter of 2021 and the rate of 0.03 in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Incidents Involving Animals

In January 2022, carriers reported one incident involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the four reports filed in December 2021 and equal to the one report filed in pre-pandemic January 2019. The January 2022 incident involved the death of one animal.

Complaints About Airline Service

In January 2022, DOT received 5,091 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 20.0% from the 4,242 complaints received in December 2021 and up 479.8% from the 878 complaints received in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,590 (50.9%) were against U.S. carriers, 1,804 (35.4%) were against foreign air carriers, and 691 (13.6%) were against travel companies. 

Also, of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,354 (46.2%) concerned refunds. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection continues to communicate with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with the refund requirements. Many passengers who had initially been denied refunds have received the required refunds. The Department has taken and will take enforcement action against noncompliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary.

Flight problems was the second highest category of the complaints received in January 2022. Of the 5,091 complaints received, 752 (14.8%) concerned cancellations, delays, or other deviations from airlines’ schedules. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection routinely contacts airlines with widespread cancellations or delays to remind them of their obligation to promptly refund passengers who choose not to accept the alternative offered for a canceled or significantly changed flight. Airlines are also required to have and adhere to a customer service plan that identifies the services that the airline provides to mitigate passenger inconveniences resulting from flight cancellations and misconnections. The Department monitors airlines’ actions and reviews complaints that it receives against airlines to ensure that consumers’ rights are not violated.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

In January 2022, the Department received a total of 143 disability-related complaints, down from the 180 disability-related complaints received in December 2021, but up from the 48 complaints received in pre-pandemic January 2019. 

Complaints About Discrimination

In January 2022, the Department received five complaints alleging discrimination – two complaints regarding race, two complaints regarding national origin, and one complaint categorized as “other.” This is equal to the five complaints received in December 2021, and down from the seven complaints recorded in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm  or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

An official website of the United States government Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Air Travel Consumer Report: January 2022 Numbers

OST 13-22 Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of January 2022 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, complaints received, and oversales. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. It also contains information on complaints involving passenger and baggage security screening received by the Transportation Security Administration, which for the first time is available in a more comprehensive format. The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at  https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

In January, the COVID-19 pandemic (particularly the spike in COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant) continued to result in significant changes to airline schedules and operations. The 528,070 flights operated in January 2022 were 85.3% of the 619,099 flights operated in pre-pandemic January 2019. Operated flights in January 2022 were up 51.0% year-over-year from the 375,229 flights operated in January 2021 and down 6.8% month-over-month from the 566,465 flights operated in December 2021.

In January 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 563,737 scheduled domestic flights, 35,667 (6.3 %) of which were canceled. In January 2021, the same airlines reported 379,384 scheduled domestic flights, 4,155 (1.1%) of which were canceled. In December 2021, airlines scheduled 580,238 domestic flights, of which 13,773 (2.4%) were canceled.

January 2022 On-Time Arrival

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75. 3%, down from 76.0% in December 2021 and 78.4.0% in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• Delta Air Lines Network – 79.4%
• American Airlines Network– 78.0%
• Hawaiian Airlines – 77.9%

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• JetBlue Airways – 61.2%
• Allegiant Air – 65.5%
• Frontier Airlines – 69.4%

January 2022 Flight Cancellations

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers canceled 6.3% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate of both 2.4% in December 2021 and 3.1% in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• Spirit Airlines – 3.4%  
• Hawaiian Airlines – 3.7%   
• Frontier Airlines – 4.5%    

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• JetBlue Airways – 9.8%    
• United Airlines– 8.7%    
• Allegiant Air – 8.3%    

Tarmac Delays

In January 2022, airlines reported 14 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 33 tarmac delays reported in December 2021 and 10 tarmac delays reported in pre-pandemic January 2019. In January 2022, airlines reported 5 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to 0 tarmac delays reported in December 2021 and 6 tarmac delays in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.

Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.

Mishandled Baggage

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers handled 31.4 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.81%, a higher rate than both the December 2021 rate of 0.66% and the pre-pandemic January 2019 rate of 0.6%.

In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The Department is now displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned).  This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 35,150 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 647 for a rate of 1.84% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.65% mishandled in December 2021 but lower than the rate of 2.1% mishandled in pre-pandemic January 2019, which is the highest rate on record.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly.

For the fourth quarter of 2021, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.23 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.16 in the third quarter of 2021 and the rate of 0.03 in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Incidents Involving Animals

In January 2022, carriers reported one incident involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the four reports filed in December 2021 and equal to the one report filed in pre-pandemic January 2019. The January 2022 incident involved the death of one animal.

Complaints About Airline Service

In January 2022, DOT received 5,091 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 20.0% from the 4,242 complaints received in December 2021 and up 479.8% from the 878 complaints received in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,590 (50.9%) were against U.S. carriers, 1,804 (35.4%) were against foreign air carriers, and 691 (13.6%) were against travel companies. 

Also, of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,354 (46.2%) concerned refunds. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection continues to communicate with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with the refund requirements. Many passengers who had initially been denied refunds have received the required refunds. The Department has taken and will take enforcement action against noncompliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary.

Flight problems was the second highest category of the complaints received in January 2022. Of the 5,091 complaints received, 752 (14.8%) concerned cancellations, delays, or other deviations from airlines’ schedules. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection routinely contacts airlines with widespread cancellations or delays to remind them of their obligation to promptly refund passengers who choose not to accept the alternative offered for a canceled or significantly changed flight. Airlines are also required to have and adhere to a customer service plan that identifies the services that the airline provides to mitigate passenger inconveniences resulting from flight cancellations and misconnections. The Department monitors airlines’ actions and reviews complaints that it receives against airlines to ensure that consumers’ rights are not violated.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

In January 2022, the Department received a total of 143 disability-related complaints, down from the 180 disability-related complaints received in December 2021, but up from the 48 complaints received in pre-pandemic January 2019. 

Complaints About Discrimination

In January 2022, the Department received five complaints alleging discrimination – two complaints regarding race, two complaints regarding national origin, and one complaint categorized as “other.” This is equal to the five complaints received in December 2021, and down from the seven complaints recorded in pre-pandemic January 2019.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm  or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Air Travel Consumer Report: December 2022, Full Year 2022 Airline Complaint Data

Source: US DOT

The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its updated February 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), which includes airline consumer complaint data for December 2022 and calendar year 2022. The previous version of this report excluded this data due to additional time needed to review and process consumer complaints.

Complaints About Airline Service

In 2022, the Department received 77,656 complaints. This is up 55.3% from the 49,991 complaints received in 2021, down 24.3% from the record high 102,560 complaints received in 2020.

Of the 77,656 complaints received in 2022, 24,647 (31.7%) concerned flight problems (including complaints about lack of reimbursements for costs associated with flight problems), 19,983 (25.7%) concerned refunds, and 12,007 (15.5%) concerned baggage.

In December 2022, DOT received 16,876 airline service complaints from consumers, the third highest total for one month on record. More than half of the complaints were against Southwest. The only months for which the Department received more complaints were April 2020 (19,856 complaints) and May 2020 (21,914). The number of complaints received in December 2022 was up 155.1% from the 6,616 complaints received in November 2022.

More than half (51.7%) of the complaints received in December 2022 were against Southwest Airlines (8,729 complaints) and concerned travel problems that stranded millions. DOT is in the initial phase of a rigorous and comprehensive investigation into this incident and has made clear to Southwest that it must provide timely refunds and reimbursements and that the Department will hold the airline accountable if it fails to do so. DOT is also probing whether Southwest engaged in unrealistic scheduling of flights which under federal law is considered an unfair and deceptive practice. DOT will leverage the full extent of its investigative and enforcement powers to ensure consumers are protected.

Of the 16,876 complaints received in December 2022, 13,912 (82.4%) were against U.S. carriers, 2,542 (15.1%) were against foreign air carriers, and 415 (2.5%) were against travel companies.

Flight problems was the highest category of the complaints received in December 2022. Of the 16,876 complaints received, 8,857 (52.5%) concerned cancellations, delays, or other deviations from airlines’ schedules. Of the 8,857 flight problems complaints, 6,250 (70.6%) were against Southwest. OACP routinely monitors airlines’ operations to ensure that airlines are not engaging in unrealistic scheduling of flights. OACP also contacts airlines with widespread cancellations or delays to make clear their obligation to promptly refund passengers who choose not to accept the alternative offered for a canceled or significantly changed flight. OACP also reminds airlines of their obligation to adhere to their customer service plan that identifies the services that the airline provides to mitigate passenger inconveniences resulting from flight cancellations and misconnections. The Department monitors airlines’ actions and reviews complaints that it receives against airlines to ensure that consumers’ rights are not violated. (Read more about airline consumers’ rights  here .)

Refunds was the second highest category of the complaints received in December 2022. Of the 16,876 complaints received, 2,453 (14.5%) concerned refunds. Of the 2,453 refunds complaints, 619 (25.2%) were against Southwest. OACP continues to communicate with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with the refund requirements.

The Department has taken and will take enforcement action against noncompliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary. During the past two years, the Department has issued historic enforcement actions against eight airlines, which were fined nearly $12 million ($11.925 million) and collectively paid more than a billion dollars to people who were owed a refund due to canceled or significantly changed flights. The fines issued last year for consumer protection violations were the largest in the history of OACP and are part of DOT’s ongoing work to ensure Americans are treated fairly.

Finally, of the 16,876 complaints received in December 2022, 2,323 (13.8%) concerned baggage issues. Of the 2,323 baggage complaints, 1,671 (71.9%) were against U.S. carriers and 649 were against foreign air carriers (27.9%). Of the 2,323 baggage complaints, 881 (37.9%) were against Southwest. OACP has contacted the carriers that experienced significant spikes in the number of baggage complaints to obtain information on the reasons for the spikes and to ensure that airlines are complying with the baggage requirements, including reimbursing passengers for reasonable, verifiable, and actual expenses that they may incur when their bags are delayed.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

In 2022, the Department received 2,095 disability complaints, up 50.0% from the total of 1,397 received in 2021 and up 131.5% from the 905 received in pre-pandemic 2019.

In December 2022, the Department received a total of 218 disability-related complaints, up from both the 166 disability-related complaints received in November 2022 and the 88 complaints received in pre-pandemic December 2019.

Complaints About Discrimination

In 2022, the Department received 178 discrimination complaints – 82 complaints regarding race, four complaints regarding ancestry/ethnicity, 18 complaints regarding national origin, 13 complaints regarding color, 51 complaints regarding religion, seven complaints regarding sexual discrimination, and three complaints categorized as “other.” This is an increase of 32.8% from the total of 134 discrimination complaints filed in 2021 and an increase of 66.4% from the total of 107 discrimination complaints filed in pre-pandemic 2019.

In December 2022, the Department received 10 complaints alleging discrimination – six complaints regarding race, one complaint regarding national origin, and three complaints regarding sexual discrimination. This is down from the 11 complaints received in November 2022, but up from the nine complaints recorded in pre-pandemic December 2019.

The Department is committed to combating all forms of discrimination and will act if it finds that any carrier violated Federal anti-discrimination statutes.

The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. DOT remains committed to ensuring airline passengers are treated fairly and is concerned about recent flight cancellations and flight disruptions and difficulties families are experiencing in sitting together with no fees. The Department is currently investigating several domestic airlines to ensure that they are not engaging in unrealistic scheduling of flights.

DOT uses the data from the ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it secures from the airlines to inform its enforcement activities and the adequacy of existing rules.

DOT is taking unprecedented action to ensure the traveling public is protected. Last year, DOT issued the largest fines in the history of the consumer protection office – helping to get hundreds of thousands of people hundreds of millions of dollars back. And since 2021, DOT has helped return more than $1 billion in refunds to travelers. Further, in August, Secretary Buttigieg  pressed airlines to do more  for passengers who had a flight canceled or delayed when it was under the airline’s control, such as covering the costs of rebooking and guaranteeing meals and hotels. Before his urging, none of the 10 largest U.S. airlines guaranteed meals or hotels when a delay or cancellation was within the airlines’ control, and only one offered free rebooking. However  after Secretary Buttigieg called on airlines to improve their service  and created an  airline customer service dashboard  to make airline commitments transparent and accessible to the public, 10 airlines now guarantee meals and free rebooking when an airline issue causes a cancellation or delay, while nine guarantee hotels. Without these commitments, Southwest would not have been required to cover the costs of hotels, meals, and travel during its recent holiday debacle that stranded millions.

Further, earlier this year, Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines to commit to fee-free family seating. Before his urging, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now three airlines have committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating, and DOT is pursuing a rulemaking that would require all airlines to do so. Secretary Buttigieg also submitted to  Congress a legislative proposal to require that airlines provide fee-free family seating . To further assist consumers in assessing airline family seating commitments, last month, DOT rolled out a new  family seating dashboard  that highlights the airlines that guarantee fee-free family seating, and those that do not, making it easier for parents to avoid paying junk fees to sit with their children when they fly.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at  http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm  or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at  https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

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Air Travel Consumer Report: November 2022

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• Series: Air Travel Consumer Report [Series]
• Corporate Creators: United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Aviation Consumer Protection
• Subject/TRT Terms: [+] Aircraft Carriers Airlines Air Transportation Air Travel Baggage Flight Delays Passenger Service Schedule Maintenance Security Trend (Statistics)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.21949/1530499
• Resource Type: Statistical Report
• Geographical Coverage: United States
• Corporate Publisher: United States. Department of Transportation. Office of Aviation Consumer Protection
• Abstract: The Air Travel Consumer Report is a monthly product of the Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. The report is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by the airlines. Data Included in this Report Flight Delays: September 2022 / January - September 2022 Mishandled Baggage / Wheelchairs and Scooters: September 2022 / January - September 2022 Oversales: 3rd Quarter 2022 / January - September 2022 Consumer Complaints: September 2022 / January - September 2022 Customer Service Reports to the Dept. of Homeland Security: September 2022 Airline Animal Incident Reports: September 2022 Individual redacted animal incident reports may be seen by clicking the airline’s name in the report. More ▼ -->
• Format: PDF
• Collection(s): National Transportation Data Archive
• Main Document Checksum: [+] urn:sha256:969f16600c4f6f4e30c7ce2cacc563f9791fff819bc0d28610694ad06e600f69
• Download URL: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/73605/dot_73605_DS1.pdf

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L'Occitane's billionaire owner close to possible $7 billion buyout bid, Bloomberg reports

The billionaire owner of L'Occitane International is close to making a proposal to take the French skincare firm private as early as Monday in a deal that could value it at about $7 billion including debt, Bloomberg News reported.

Alaska Airlines, Hilton hotels top travel Customer Satisfaction Index

While most travel-related news recently has centered on incidents related to Boeing jets, that’s not doing much to change people’s enthusiasm for getting away from it all.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index’s annual Travel Survey for 2023–2024 is out, and for airlines at least, customer satisfaction has never been this high. That might not be surprising, given the ongoing trends of revenge travel and overall wanderlust, but some of the specifics might raise eyebrows.

Alaska Airlines, for instance, was ranked as the top airline for the second year in a row in the study. That came despite the widely reported in-flight loss of a door in January 2024. That incident was blamed on Boeing, which made the plane, rather than Alaska, but it resulted in the grounding of much of the carrier’s fleet, causing inconveniences for travelers.

In the survey, however (which interviewed 16,352 customers between April 2023 and March 2024), Alaska saw its overall customer service score increase by 1% over the previous year to 82. American Airlines came in second, with a score of 79.

United was the only carrier to see its score lower, losing three points.

Among hotels, Hilton led the list, topping IHG and Hyatt. Wyndham was the lowest-ranked chain. Hotels, in general, are on an upswing with consumers. After hitting a 15-year low in 2022, consumer sentiment began to rise last year and was up another 3% this year. As with airlines, the increase is said to be due to an increase in staffing levels and a return to normal operations.

National was the top-rated car rental chain, followed by Alamo (which led last year’s list) and Avis, which tied for second. Lyft and Uber were tied among customer satisfaction in ride-sharing.

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Air Travel Consumer Report: December 2022, Full Year 2022 Numbers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of December 2022 and calendar year 2022 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters. 

The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. DOT remains committed to ensuring airline passengers are treated fairly and is concerned about recent flight cancellations and flight disruptions and difficulties families are experiencing in sitting together with no fees. The Department is currently investigating four domestic airlines to ensure that they are not engaging in unrealistic scheduling of flights. Last week, DOT rolled out a new family seating dashboard that highlights the airlines that guarantee fee-free family seating, and those that do not, making it easier for parents to avoid paying junk fees to sit with their children when they fly. 

Also, last summer, the Department announced its new airline customer service dashboard to help travelers determine what services they are owed when a flight is canceled or delayed because of an airline issue. Because of the creation of this dashboard and Secretary Buttigieg urging U.S. airlines to improve their service, the airlines made significant changes to their plans, which are now enforceable. Before DOT pressed airlines, none of them guaranteed meals or hotels when they were the cause of a cancellation or significant flight change. Today, all 10 large U.S. airlines commit to providing meals upon request when a controllable cancellation or delay results in passengers waiting for three hours or more for a new flight. In addition, nine of the 10 large U.S. airlines now promise to provide hotel accommodations upon request for any passenger affected by a controllable overnight delay or cancellation. A controllable cancellation or delay is a delay or cancellation caused by the airline.

DOT uses the data from the ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it secures from the airlines to inform its enforcement activities and the adequacy of existing rules.

Flight Operations

The 547,134 flights operated in December 2022 were 81.33% of the 672,765 flights operated in pre-pandemic December 2019.  Operated flights in December 2022 were down 3.41% year-over-year from the 566,465 flights operated in December 2021 and down 2.48% month-over-month from 561,067 flights operated in November 2022.

In December 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 578,321 scheduled domestic flights, 31,187 (5.4%) of which were canceled. In December 2021, the same airlines reported 566,465 scheduled domestic flights, 13,773 (2.4%) of which were canceled. In November 2022, airlines scheduled 567,507 domestic flights, of which 6,440 (1.1%) were canceled. In December 2019, airlines scheduled 679,941 domestic flights, of which 7,176 (1.1%) were canceled.

December 2022 On-Time Arrival

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 69.0% down from 80.0% in November 2022 and down from 78.2% in pre-pandemic December 2019. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2022 is 76.7%.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• Delta Air Lines Network – 77.5%
• American Airlines Network – 73.7%
• United Airlines Network – 71.8% 

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2022 (ATCR Table 1)

• Frontier Airlines – 56.6%
• Allegiant Air – 57.2%
• Hawaiian Airlines – 58.1%

For calendar year 2022, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.72% down from 78.97% for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.

December 2022 Flight Cancellations

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers canceled 5.4% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate 1.1% in both November 2022 and in pre-pandemic December 2019.  Of the industry-wide 5.4% cancellation rate in December 2022, 54.51% of the cancellations were attributed to Southwest. Southwest canceled 14,042 flights from December 24 to December 31, which was 72.3% of the total flights that reporting carriers canceled during that time.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• American Airlines Network – 1.8%  
• JetBlue Airways – 1.9%   
• Delta Air Lines Network – 2.9%    

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2022 (ATCR Table 6)

• Southwest Airlines – 14.6%    
• Alaska Airlines Network – 7.6%    
• Allegiant Air – 5.3%    

For calendar year 2022, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate of 2.7% up from 1.9% for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.

Complaints About Airline Service

The Department received a high volume of air travel service complaints and inquiries against airlines and ticket agents in December 2022. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection is working diligently to process the large number of complaints and inquiries received. Nevertheless, the issuance of the ATCR has been delayed because of the time needed to review and process these consumer complaints. Consumer complaint data for December 2022 and the full year 2022 will be publicly available in its usual format in early April at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/air-travel-consumer-reports.

Tarmac Delays

In December 2022, airlines reported 79 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to eight tarmac delays reported in November 2022. In December 2022, airlines reported three tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to five tarmac delays reported in November 2022. For calendar year 2022, airlines reported 376 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and 21 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights. For calendar year 2021, airlines reported 155 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and nine tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights.

Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.

Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.

Mishandled Baggage

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers handled 40.4 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 1.09%, higher than the rate of 0.51% in November 2022 and higher than the rate of 0.66% in pre-pandemic December 2019. Of the industry-wide 1.09% mishandling rate in December 2022, 26.68% of the mishandlings were attributed to Southwest.

For calendar year 2022, the carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.64%, higher rate than the 2019 rate of 0.59%.

In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The Department is now displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned). This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In December 2022, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 62,086 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 1,008 for a rate of 1.62% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.48% mishandled in November 2022 and higher than the rate of 1.53% mishandled in pre-pandemic December 2019.

For calendar year 2022, the carriers posted a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.54%, equal to the 2019 rate of 1.54%.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the fourth quarter of 2022, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.30 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.23 in the fourth quarter of 2021 and higher than the rate of 0.16 in the fourth quarter of 2019.

For calendar year 2022, the carriers posted a bumping/oversales rate of 0.32 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the pre-pandemic 2019 rate of 0.24.

Incidents Involving Animals

For calendar year 2022, carriers reported seven animal deaths, injuries to one other animal, and one lost animal, for a total of nine incidents, down from the 19 incident reports filed for pre-pandemic calendar year 2019. 

For calendar year 2022, 188,223 animals were transported by airlines, for a rate of 0.48 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In pre-pandemic 2019, 404,556 animals were transported, for a rate of 0.47 incidents per 10,000 animals transported.

In December 2022, carriers reported no incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from both the one report filed in November 2022 and the two reports filed in pre-pandemic December 2019.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

Official news published at https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/air-travel-consumer-report-december-2022-full-year-2022-numbers

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December in Moscow: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

Moscow in December is not for the faint of heart. Despite the fact that it's downright frigid, though, seeing the Russian capital's ornamental sites cloaked in snow is worth going in the colder months.

Whether you're eager to watch the famous ballet perform or more interested in admiring the incredible architecture of Saint Basil's Cathedral (and other landmarks), Moscow has something to offer just about everyone, as long as you bundle up.

The city's winter begins in November and lasts through February. In December, the weather is unusually cold and wet with snow. On average, Moscow sees .7 inches of snow during the whole month, but it isn't the type that clears up after a day or so. With temperatures lingering below freezing, the snow typically sticks around until the big springtime thaw.

The average temperature for this time of year is 23 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 degrees Celsius), although it could dip into the teens at times. Wind chill is a major factor to consider when traveling around Moscow, as it can make the city feel much colder than what it actually is. Winds in December average 12 miles per hour. The city is quite dark during this time of year, too, averaging just seven hours of sunlight per day.

What to Pack

Prepare for the freezing conditions simply by packing as warm as possible. Winter travel is tricky because warm clothes are so bulky and they weigh so much. Rest assured, though, you'll be happy you used your suitcase space on clunky boots and big coats rather than an abundance of cute sweaters when your toes are toasty and dry. Don't forget to bring:

• Hats, gloves, and scarves
• A high-quality coat
• A waterproof shell
• Wool base layers
• Waterproof boots

December Events

Even though Moscow doesn't celebrate Christmas until January, the city still feels festive throughout the month of December with plenty of winter performances and celebrations to ring in the season.

• The annual Winter Festival kicks off in the middle of December and continues until early January. Ice skating, winter markets, and amusement park rides are all part of the fun. 
• " The Nutcracker" originated in Russia, so watching this world-famous ballet in Moscow is a major cultural experience. The Royal Moscow Ballet does the famed Tchaikovsky work justice with 32 dancers, 80 sumptuous costumes, and a visually stunning set.
• On December 31, New Year's Eve celebrations take over Red Square. Consider watching the fireworks display from another vantage point (such as Tverskaya Ulitsa or the Balchug Kempinski Hotel) if you can't handle standing for hours in the cold.

More Travel Tips

• Christmas in Russia takes place on January 7, but the time between Christmas and New Year's is usually a time of rest and vacation for Russian families, many of which jet off to warmer destinations.
• Head to Red Square to see the New Year's Tree and look for decorations at GUM, Arbat Street, and other well-known locations.
• Moscow's outdoor ice skating rinks provide the opportunity to enjoy one of Moscow's most popular cold-weather activities.
• A Moscow museum visit is the perfect way to escape the cold outside. You can easily spend hours in the Tretyakov Gallery, the State Armory Museum, or the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.
• Some businesses such as restaurants and family-owned stores may close or have reduced hours during the holiday period between Christmas and New Year's.
• While you might be tempted to imbibe the copious amounts of Russian vodka available, consume in moderation: Drunkenness causes heat loss.

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Air Travel Consumer Report: January 2023 Airline Complaint Data

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its updated March 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), which includes airline consumer complaint data for January 2023. The previous version of this report excluded this data due to additional time needed to review and process consumer complaints.  

Complaints About Airline Service

In January 2023, DOT received 10,822 airline service complaints from consumers, down 35.9% from the 16,876 complaints received in December 2022, but up 111.7 % from the 5,113 complaints received in January 2022.

Almost a quarter (23.4%) of the complaints received in January 2023 were against Southwest Airlines (2,534 complaints) and concerned the 2022 holiday travel problems that stranded millions. DOT is conducting a rigorous and comprehensive investigation into this incident and has made clear to Southwest that it must provide timely refunds and reimbursements and that the Department will hold the airline accountable if it fails to do so. DOT is also probing whether Southwest engaged in unrealistic scheduling of flights which under federal law is considered an unfair and deceptive practice. DOT will leverage the full extent of its investigative and enforcement powers to ensure consumers are protected.

Of the 10,822 complaints received in January 2023, 7,754 (71.7%) were against U.S. carriers, 2,596 (24.0%) were against foreign air carriers, and 469 (4.3%) were against travel companies. 

Flight problems was the highest category of the complaints received in January 2023. Of the  10,822 complaints received, 4,054 (37.5%) concerned cancellations, delays, or other deviations from airlines’ schedules. Of the 4,054 flight problems complaints, 1,536 (37.9%) were against Southwest. DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) routinely monitors airlines’ operations to ensure that airlines are not engaging in unrealistic scheduling of flights. The Department is currently investigating several domestic airlines for unrealistic scheduling of flights. OACP also contacts airlines with widespread cancellations or delays to make clear their obligation to promptly refund passengers who choose not to accept the alternative offered for a canceled or significantly changed flight. OACP also reminds airlines of their obligation to adhere to their customer service plan that identifies the services that the airline provides to mitigate passenger inconveniences resulting from flight cancellations and misconnections. The Department monitors airlines’ actions and reviews complaints that it receives against airlines to ensure that consumers’ rights are not violated. (Read more about airline consumers’ rights here .)

Refunds was the second highest category of the complaints received in January 2023. Of the  10,822 complaints received, 2,240 (20.7%) concerned refunds. Of the 2,240 refunds complaints, 379 (16.9%) were against Southwest. OACP continues to communicate with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with the refund requirements. 

The Department has taken and will take enforcement action against noncompliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary. During the past two years, the Department has issued historic enforcement actions against eight airlines, which were fined nearly $12 million ($11.925 million) and collectively paid more than a billion dollars to people who were owed refunds due to canceled or significantly changed flights. The fines issued last year for consumer protection violations were the largest in the history of OACP and are part of DOT’s ongoing work to ensure Americans are treated fairly.

Finally, of the 10,822 complaints received in January 2023, 1,973 (18.2%) concerned baggage issues. Of the 1,973 baggage complaints, 1,184 (60%) were against U.S. carriers and 789 were against foreign air carriers (40%). Of the 1,973 baggage complaints, 379 (19.2%) were against Southwest. OACP has contacted the carriers that experienced significant spikes in the number of baggage complaints to obtain information on the reasons for the spikes and to ensure that airlines are complying with the baggage requirements, including reimbursing passengers for reasonable, verifiable, and actual expenses that they may incur when their bags are delayed.

Complaints About Treatment of Passengers with Disabilities

In January 2023, the Department received a total of 222 disability-related complaints, up from both the 218 disability-related complaints received in December 2022 and the 144 complaints received in January 2022.   Complaints About Discrimination

In January 2023, the Department received 26 complaints alleging discrimination – 11 complaints regarding race, one complaint regarding ancestry/ethnicity, eight complaints regarding national origin, two complaints regarding color, three complaints regarding religion, and one complaint regarding sexual discrimination. This is up from both the 10 complaints received in December 2022 and from the five complaints recorded in January 2022.

The Department is committed to combating all forms of discrimination and will act if it finds that any carrier violated Federal anti-discrimination statutes.  

The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. DOT remains committed to ensuring airline passengers are treated fairly.  

DOT uses the data from the ATCR, consumer complaints, and other information it secures from the airlines to inform its enforcement activities and the adequacy of existing rules.

DOT is taking unprecedented action to ensure the traveling public is protected. Last year, DOT issued the largest fines in the history of the consumer protection office – helping to get hundreds of thousands of people hundreds of millions of dollars back. And since 2021, DOT has helped return more than $1 billion in refunds to travelers. 

Last week, DOT announced plans to launch a new rulemaking that is aimed at requiring airlines to provide compensation and cover expenses for amenities such as meals, hotels, and rebooking when airlines are responsible for stranding passengers. After a two-year DOT push to improve the passenger experience, the 10 largest airlines guarantee meals and free rebooking on the same airline and nine guarantee hotel accommodations as part of the Department’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard. DOT expanded the dashboard last week at FlightRights.Gov to highlight which airlines currently offer cash compensation, provide travel credits or vouchers, or award frequent flyer miles when they cause flight delays or cancellations. DOT’s planned rulemaking would, if adopted in final, make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight disruptions.

Further, earlier this year, Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines to commit to fee-free family seating. Before his urging, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now three airlines have committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating, and DOT is pursuing a rulemaking that would require all airlines to do so. Secretary Buttigieg also submitted to Congress a legislative proposal to require that airlines provide fee-free family seating . To further assist consumers in assessing airline family seating commitments, last month, DOT rolled out a new family seating dashboard that highlights the airlines that guarantee fee-free family seating, and those that do not, making it easier for parents to avoid paying junk fees to sit with their children when they fly.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .