air travel consumer report 2022

Air Travel Consumer Report: December 2023, Full Year 2023 Numbers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of December 2023 and calendar year 2023 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, and oversales.

The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. In addition, DOT expects that airlines will operate flights as scheduled and that when they do not, airlines provide consumers the services consumers have been promised when a flight is canceled or delayed because of an airline issue.

In 2023, airline service quality generally improved.  Notably, only  1.29%  of flights were cancelled across the 10 largest U.S. airlines, far below the 2.71% cancellation rate for 2022, 1.76% for 2021, 5.99% for 2020, and 1.90% for 2019 .  Across the  National Airspace System ,  the 2023 cancellation rate was under 1.2%  –  the lowest in over a decade.  Meanwhile, airlines reported better on-time performance. Further,  the  rate of wheelchair, scooter, and baggage mishandlings as well as denied boardings all decreased, as did the number of tarmac delays. 

After a two-year DOT push to improve the passenger experience, the 10 largest airlines now guarantee meals and free rebooking on the same airline and nine guarantee hotel accommodations. Consumer-friendly information regarding airline commitments to their customers is available on the Department’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard at  FlightRights.Gov . DOT also pushed airlines to provide fee-free family seating and rolled out a new family seating dashboard that highlights the airlines that guarantee fee-free family seating, and those of the 10 largest that do not, making it easier for parents to avoid paying junk fees to sit with their children when they fly.

DOT is also improving transportation for individuals with disabilities. In July 2023, DOT finalized a rule which requires airlines to make lavatories on new, single-aisle aircraft more accessible. Under this final rule, airlines must improve the accessibility of these lavatories short of increasing their size in the short term. In addition, in the long term, airlines are required to provide an accessible lavatory that is large enough to permit a passenger with a disability and attendant, both equivalent in size to a 95th percentile male, to approach, enter, and maneuver within as necessary to use the aircraft lavatory.

In addition, when necessary, DOT takes enforcement action against airlines and ticket agents that fail to comply with the Department’s aviation consumer protection requirements. In 2023, DOT issued the largest fines in the history of the consumer protection office. This includes a  $140 million penalty  against Southwest Airlines for failing passengers during the 2022 holiday meltdown. The action, which was in addition to over $600 million DOT already ensured was refunded by Southwest to passengers, requires Southwest to establish a $90 million compensation system for future passengers affected by significant delays and cancellations. DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds to travelers since the pandemic began.

Flight Operations

The 603,756 flights operated in December 2023 were 110.35% of the 547,134 flights operated in December 2022. Operated flights in December 2023 were up 10.35% year-over-year from the 547,134 flights operated in December 2022 and up 0.80% month-over-month from the 598,987 flights operated in November 2023.

In December 2023, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 606,218 scheduled domestic flights, of which 2,462 (0.4%) were canceled. In November 2023, airlines scheduled 599,814 domestic flights, of which 827 (0.1%) were canceled. In December 2022, airlines scheduled 578,321 domestic flights, of which 31,187 (5.4%) were canceled.

December 2023 On-Time Arrival

In December 2023, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 83.9%, down from 86.3% in November 2023, but up from 69.0% in December 2022.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2023 (ATCR Table 1)

• Delta Airlines Network – 89.3%
• United Airlines Network – 85.6%
• American Airlines Network – 84.1%

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2023 (ATCR Table 1)

• JetBlue Airways – 71.4%
• Spirit Airlines – 75.4%
• Frontier Airlines – 77.4%

In 2023, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 78.34%,  up from 76.72% in  2022.

December 2023 Flight Cancellations

In December 2023, reporting marketing carriers canceled 0.4% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate of 0.1% in November 2023, but lower than the rate of 5.4% in December 2022.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2023 (ATCR Table 6)

• American Airlines Network – 0.1%  
• United Airlines Network – 0.3%   
• Delta Air Lines Network – 0.4%

Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights December 2023 (ATCR Table 6)

• Hawaiian Airlines – 1.5%    
• Alaska Airlines Network – 1.0%    
• Allegiant Air – 0.7%

In 2023, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate of 1.29%,  down from 2.7% in 2022 .

Complaints About Airline Service

The release of air travel service complaint data in the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) has been delayed primarily because of the continued high volume of complaints against airlines and ticket agents received by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) and the time needed to review and process these consumer complaints. The Department is investing in modernizing its system for handling consumer complaints with the support of a Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) investment to improve the customer experience for the tens of thousands of consumers who use the system each year and enable OACP to more effectively engage in oversight of the airline industry. TMF has awarded DOT an $8 million grant towards this effort. 

As DOT modernizes its system, given the continued high volume of air travel service complaints concerning airlines and ticket agents, DOT has revised how it processes consumer complaints received  after June 1, 2023.  DOT also will revise the ATCR to display consumer submissions (complaints, inquiries, and opinions) as opposed to complaints for this period. The Department will continue to display civil rights complaints in the ATCR in a similar manner as before and anticipates publishing submission and civil rights complaint numbers in spring.

Tarmac Delays

For calendar year 2023, airlines reported 289 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and 27 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights. For calendar year 2022, airlines reported 376 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and 42 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights.

In December 2023, airlines reported five tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to two tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights reported in November 2023. In December 2023, airlines reported zero tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to one tarmac delay reported in November 2023.

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.

The Department investigates extended tarmac delays.

Mishandled Baggage

In December 2023, reporting marketing carriers handled 43.1 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.50%, higher than the rate of 0.39% in November 2023, but lower than the rate of 1.09% in December 2022.

For calendar year 2023, the carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.58%,  down from the rate of 0.64% in 2022 .

The Department began displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned) in January 2022. This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.

In the prior three calendar year reports (2019 to 2021), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags.

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In December 2023, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 69,397 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 968 for a rate of 1.39% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.26% mishandled in November 2023, but lower than the rate of 1.49% mishandled in December 2022.

For calendar year 2023, the carriers posted a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.38%,  down from the rate of 1.41% in 2022 .

Yesterday, the Department  announced its proposal  to strengthen its rule implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) to address the serious problems that individuals with disabilities using wheelchairs and scooters face when traveling by air that impact their safety and dignity, including mishandled wheelchairs and scooters and improper transfers to and from aircraft seats, aisle chairs, and personal wheelchairs. The proposed rule would require that airlines meet strict standards in accommodating passengers with disabilities by setting new standards for prompt, safe, and dignified assistance, mandating enhanced training for airline employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with disabilities and handle passengers’ wheelchairs, and outlining actions that airlines must take to protect passengers when a wheelchair is damaged during transport. The proposed rule also clarifies that damaging or delaying the return of a wheelchair is an automatic violation of the ACAA.

Bumping/Oversales

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

For the fourth quarter of 2023, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.20 per 10,000 passengers, lower than both the rate of 0.35 in the third quarter of 2023 and the rate of 0.30 in the fourth quarter of 2022.

For calendar year 2023, the carriers posted a bumping/oversales rate of 0.30 per 10,000 passengers,  down from the rate of 0.32 in 2022 .

Incidents Involving Animals

As part of its IT modernization, DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) is improving the options for covered carriers to submit their monthly and annual Reports on Incidents Involving Animals During Air Transport. While the new system is being developed, OACP is permitting covered carriers to delay submission of reports on incidents involving animals during air transport. Annual data on such incidents will be published when  DOT receives carriers’ complete submissions of the 2023 data.  

In December 2023, carriers reported zero incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the one report filed in November 2023 and equal to the zero reports filed in December 2022.

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: October 2023 Numbers

DOT 01-24 Contact: [email protected]  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of October 2023 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 flights operate as scheduled.  For the first 10 months of 2023, 1.5% of flights were canceled, far below the 2.6% cancellation rate for the first 10 months of 2022 and the 2.1% cancellation rate for first 10 months of pre-pandemic 2019.  

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.

In 2023, DOT issued the largest fines in the history of the consumer protection office primarily based on complaints received. Since the pandemic began, the Department has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds to travelers. 

The Department is also enhancing consumer protections through rulemakings and other activities. After a two-year DOT push to improve the passenger experience, the 10 largest airlines now 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 user-friendly dashboard at  FlightRights.Gov  to highlight which airlines, if any, offer cash compensation, provide travel credits or vouchers, or award frequent flyer miles when they cause flight delays or cancellations. In May, DOT announced plans to launch a new rulemaking that would propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations, such as staffing issues or mechanical problems.

Further, in 2023, President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines to commit to fee-free family seating. Before their urging, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now four 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, in March 2023, 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.

Flight Operations

The 633,349 flights operated in October 2023 were 107.27% of the 590,444 flights operated in October 2022. Operated flights in October 2023 were up 7.27% year-over-year from the 590,444 flights operated in October 2022 and up 6.05% month-over-month from 597,223 flights operated in September 2023. 

In October 2023, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 635,538 scheduled domestic flights, 2,189 (0.3%) of which were canceled. In September 2023, airlines scheduled 604,715 domestic flights, of which 7,492 (1.2%) were canceled. In October 2022, airlines scheduled 595,322 domestic flights, of which 4,878 (0.8%) were canceled.

October 2023 On-Time Arrival

In October 2023, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 84.1%, up from both 80.3% in September 2023 and from 83.4% in October 2022. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2023 is 77.0%.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates October 2023 (ATCR Table 1)

• Delta Airlines Network – 90.7%
• United Airlines Network – 85.9%
• Alaska Airlines Network – 85.4% 

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates October 2023 (ATCR Table 1)

• Frontier Airlines – 73.9%
• JetBlue Airways – 73.9%
• Hawaiian Airlines – 76.3%

October 2023 Flight Cancellations

In October 2023, reporting marketing carriers canceled 0.3% of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than the rate 1.2% in both September 2023 and 0.8% in October 2022. The year-to-date cancellation rate for 2023 is 1.5%.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights October 2023 (ATCR Table 6)

• Delta Air Lines Network – 0.0%*  
• JetBlue Airways – 0.2%   
• Allegiant Airlines – 0.2%    

*Delta canceled 61 flights in October.   Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights October 2023 (ATCR Table 6)

• Hawaiian Airlines – 1.7%    
• Spirit Airlines – 1.6%    
• Frontier Airlines – 0.7%    

Complaints About Airline Service

The release of air travel service complaint data in the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) has been delayed primarily because of the continued high volume of complaints against airlines and ticket agents received by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) and the time needed to review and process these consumer complaints. The Department has been examining how best to review and process the consumer complaints received to avoid reporting delays. This review led the Department to invest in updating its consumer complaint application system, which was developed in 1996, to bring it up to current technology standards. It also led the Department to seek a Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) investment to further enhance OACP’s consumer complaint and case tracking application system to improve the customer experience for the tens of thousands of consumers who use the system each year and enable OACP to more effectively engage in oversight of the airline industry. On September 29, 2023, the TMF announced that it was awarding DOT an $8 million grant towards this effort.  

In the interim, given the continued high volume of air travel service complaints concerning airlines and ticket agents, the Department has revised how it processes consumer complaints received from June 1 to December 31, 2023. The Department will revise the ATCR to display consumer submissions (complaints, inquiries, and opinions) as opposed to complaints for this period. The Department will continue to display civil rights complaints in the ATCR in a similar manner as before. 

Tarmac Delays

In October 2023, airlines reported six tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 57 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights reported in September 2023. In October 2023, airlines reported zero tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to six tarmac delay reported in September 2023. 

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.

The Department investigates extended tarmac delays.

Mishandled Baggage

In October 2023, reporting marketing carriers handled 41.0 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.44%, lower than both the rate of 0.53% in September 2023 and the rate of 0.49% in October 2022.

The Department began displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned) in January 2022. This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.     In the prior three calendar year reports (2019 to 2021), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. 

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In October 2023, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 77,411 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 1,030 for a rate of 1.33% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, lower than the rate of 1.42% mishandled in September 2023 and lower than the rate of 1.38% mishandled in October 2022.

To address many of the significant barriers and challenges experienced by passengers who use wheelchairs, the Department has initiated a rulemaking proposing that, if adopted after public comment would, among other actions, make it an automatic violation of the Department’s Air Carrier Access Act regulations for airlines to mishandle a passenger’s wheelchair. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would also enhance training requirements for airline personnel who provide hands-on transfer assistance to passengers and handle wheelchairs. This rulemaking is currently under review by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the third quarter of 2023, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.35 per 10,000 passengers, lower than the rate of 0.36 in the second quarter of 2023 and higher than the rate of 0.22 in the third quarter of 2022.

Incidents Involving Animals

In October 2023, carriers reported 2 incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, equal to the two reports filed in both September 2023 and in October 2022.

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 .

U.S. Air Travel Consumer Report: January 2022 Numbers

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.

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.

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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/10.21949/1530531
• 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: Flight Delays: June 2020 / January - June 2020; Mishandled Baggage / Wheelchairs and Scooters: June 2020 / January - June 2020; Oversales: 2nd. Quarter 2020 / January - June 2020; Consumer Complaints: June 2020 / January - June 2020; Customer Service Reports to the Dept. of Homeland Security: June 2020; Airline Animal Incident Reports: June 2020. More ▼ -->
• Format: PDF
• Collection(s): National Transportation Data Archive
• Main Document Checksum: [+] urn:sha256:49e80b6e3b438ab9e0b621ac684304f118cf920aac527e3e1db8fdef4dc76d15
• Download URL: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/74179/dot_74179_DS1.pdf

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Air Travel Consumer Report: September 2023 Numbers and 3rd Quarter Numbers

DOT 18-23 Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of September 2023 and third quarter of 2023 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 flights operate as scheduled. For the first nine months of 2023, 1.6% of flights have been canceled, far below the 2.8% cancellation rate for the first nine months of last year and the 2.2% cancellation rate for first nine months of pre-pandemic 2019.  

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.

This year, DOT has already issued the largest fines in the history of the consumer protection office primarily based on complaints received. Since the pandemic began, the Department has helped return more than $2.5 billion in refunds to travelers. 

The Department is also enhancing consumer protections through rulemakings and other activities. After a two-year DOT push to improve the passenger experience, the 10 largest airlines now 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 user-friendly dashboard at FlightRights.Gov to highlight which airlines, if any, offer cash compensation, provide travel credits or vouchers, or award frequent flyer miles when they cause flight delays or cancellations. In May, DOT announced plans to launch a new rulemaking that would propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations, such as staffing issues or mechanical problems.

Further, earlier this year, President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines to commit to fee-free family seating. Before their urging, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now four 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, in March 2023, 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.

Flight Operations

The 597,223 flights operated in September 2023 were 104.49% of the 571,533 flights operated in September 2022. Operated flights in September 2023 were up 4.49% year-over-year from the 571,533 flights operated in September 2022 and down 5.32% month-over-month from 630,761 flights operated in August 2023.   

In September 2023, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 604,715 scheduled domestic flights, 7,492 (1.2%) of which were canceled. In August 2023, airlines scheduled 640,236 domestic flights, of which 9,475 (1.5%) were canceled. In September 2022, airlines scheduled 580,391 domestic flights, of which 8,858 (1.5%) were canceled.

September 2023 On-Time Arrival

In September 2023, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 80.3% up from 77.2% in August 2023 and down from 82.1% in September 2022. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2023 is 76.2%.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates September 2023 (ATCR Table 1)

• Hawaiian Airlines – 88.4%
• Delta Air Lines Network – 84.8%
• Alaska Airlines Network – 82.9% 

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates September 2023 (ATCR Table 1)

• JetBlue Airways – 60.5%
• Frontier Airlines – 71.1%
• Spirit Airlines – 74.8%

For the first nine months of 2023, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 76.2%, down from 76.5% for the same period in 2022.

September 2023 Flight Cancellations

In September 2023, reporting marketing carriers canceled 1.2% of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than the rate 1.5% in both August 2023 and 1.5% in September 2022. The year-to-date cancellation rate for 2023 is 1.6%.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights September 2023 (ATCR Table 6)

• Alaska Airlines Network – 0.3%  
• Allegiant Air – 0.3%   
• Southwest Airlines – 0.6%    

  Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights September 2023 (ATCR Table 6)

• JetBlue Airways – 3.4%    
• Frontier Airlines – 2.0%    
• Spirit Airlines – 1.6%    

For the first nine months of 2023, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate 1.6%, down from 2.8% for the same period in 2022.

Complaints About Airline Service

The release of air travel service complaint data in the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) has been delayed primarily because of the continued high volume of complaints against airlines and ticket agents received by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) and the time needed to review and process these consumer complaints. The Department has been examining how best to review and process the consumer complaints received to avoid reporting delays. This review led the Department to invest in updating its consumer complaint application system, which was developed in 1996, to bring it up to current technology standards. It also led the Department to seek a Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) investment to further enhance OACP’s consumer complaint and case tracking application system to improve the customer experience for the tens of thousands of consumers who use the system each year and enable OACP to more effectively engage in oversight of the airline industry. On September 29, 2023, the TMF announced that it was awarding DOT an $8 million grant towards this effort.  

In the interim, given the continued high volume of air travel service complaints concerning airlines and ticket agents, the Department has revised how it processes consumer complaints received from June 1 to December 31, 2023. The Department will revise the ATCR to display consumer submissions (complaints, inquiries, and opinions) as opposed to complaints for this period. The Department will continue to display civil rights complaints in the ATCR in a similar manner as before. 

Tarmac Delays

In September 2023, airlines reported 57 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 18 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights reported in August 2023. In September 2023, airlines reported six tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to one tarmac delay reported in August 2023. 

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.

The Department investigates extended tarmac delays.

Mishandled Baggage

In September 2023, reporting marketing carriers handled 37.4 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.53%, lower than the rate of 0.61% in August 2023 and higher than the rate of 0.48% in September 2022.

For the third quarter of 2023, the carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.62%, higher than the rate of 0.61% posted in third quarter of 2022.

The Department began displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned) in January 2022. This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.     In the prior three calendar year reports (2019 to 2021), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. 

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In September 2023, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 72,976 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 1,035 for a rate of 1.42% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, lower than the rate of 1.52% mishandled in August 2023 and higher than the rate of 1.36% mishandled in September 2022.

For the third quarter 2023, the carriers posted a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.40%, lower than the rate of 1.41% posted in the third quarter of 2022.

To address many of the significant barriers and challenges experienced by passengers who use wheelchairs, the Department has initiated a rulemaking proposing that, if adopted after public comment would, among other actions, make it an automatic violation of the Department’s Air Carrier Access Act regulations for airlines to mishandle a passenger’s wheelchair. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would also enhance training requirements for airline personnel who provide hands-on transfer assistance to passengers and handle wheelchairs. This rulemaking is currently under review by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the third quarter of 2023, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.35 per 10,000 passengers, lower than the rate of 0.36 in the second quarter of 2023 and higher than the rate of 0.22 in the third quarter of 2022.

Incidents Involving Animals

In September 2023, carriers reported two incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, up from the zero reports filed in both August 2023 and in September 2022.

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 .