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Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. Here’s what passengers can expect.

By Christine Chung

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

“Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them — without having to ask,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement, adding that the changes would not only save passengers “time and money,” but also prevent headaches.

The department’s new rules, Mr. Buttigieg said, will hold airlines to clear and consistent standards when they cancel, delay or substantially change flights, and require automatic refunds to be issued within weeks. They will also require them to reveal all fees before a ticket is purchased.

Airlines for America , a trade group representing the country’s largest air carriers, said in a statement that its airlines “abide by and frequently exceed” D.O.T. consumer protection regulations.

Passenger advocates welcomed the new steps.

Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims, called it a “massive step forward and huge improvement in consumer rights and protection” that brings the United States closer to global standards in passenger rights.

Here’s what we know about the D.O.T.’s new rules, which will begin to go into effect in October.

There’s now one definition for a “significant” delay.

Until now, airlines have been allowed to set their own definition for a “significant” delay and compensation has varied by carrier . Now, according to the D.O.T., there will be one standard: when departure or arrival is delayed by three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

Passengers will get prompt refunds for cancellations or significant changes for flights and delayed bags, for any reason.

When things go wrong, getting compensation from an airline has often required establishing a cumbersome paper trail or spending untold hours on the phone. Under the new rules, refunds will be automatic, without passengers having to request them. Refunds will be made in full, excepting the value of any transportation already used. Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in the original form of payment, whether by cash, credit card or airline miles. Refunds are due within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payments.

Passengers with other flight disruptions, such as being downgraded to a lower service class, are also entitled to refunds.

The list of significant changes for which passengers can get their money back also includes: departure or arrival from an airport different from the one booked; connections at different airports or flights on planes that are less accessible to a person with a disability; an increase in the number of scheduled connections. Also, passengers who pay for services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are then unavailable will be refunded any fees.

Airlines must give travel vouchers or credits to ticketed passengers unable to fly because of government restrictions or a doctor’s orders.

The vouchers or credits will be transferable and can be used for at least five years after the date they were issued.

Fees for checked baggage and modifying a reservation must be disclosed upfront.

Airlines and ticket agents are now required to display any extra fees for things like checking bags or seat selection clearly and individually before a ticket purchase. They will also need to outline the airline’s policies on baggage, cancellations and changing flights before a customer purchases a ticket.

The rules, which apply to all flights on domestic airlines and flights to and from the United States operated by foreign airlines, have varying start dates.

For example, automatic refunds must be instituted by the airlines within six months. But carriers have a year before they’re required to issue travel vouchers and credits for passengers advised by a medical professional not to fly.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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Airlines must cough up cancellation cash and can no longer hide fees under new federal rule

A federal rule announced Wednesday will require airlines to quickly give cash refunds — without lengthy arguments — to passengers whose flights have been canceled or seriously delayed, the Biden administration said.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

The rule from the Transportation Department says passengers who decline other reimbursement like travel credits are to get cash refunds.

It applies when a flight is canceled or has a “significant change,” the administration said.A “significant change” includes when departure or arrival times are three or more hours different from the scheduled times for domestic flights or six hours for international flights, and when the airport is changed or connections are added, it said.

Passengers are also to get refunds when their baggage is 12 hours late in delivery for domestic flights.

The new rule comes after promises to hold airlines accountable after major disruptions that made travel hell for passengers, including the 2022 Southwest Airlines meltdown , which resulted in almost 17,000 significantly delayed or canceled flights and a missing baggage nightmare.

The Transportation Department said that the new rule means refunds are automatic and that "airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops."

Also announced Wednesday was a rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose so-called junk fees upfront, such as surprise baggage or other fees, the department said.

It said that rule is expected to save fliers around $500 million a year.

The surprise fees are used so tickets look cheaper than they really are, and then fliers get the unwelcome surprise of fees on checked bags, carry-on bags or reservation changes — or even discounts that are advertised but apply to only part of the ticket price, officials said.

Airlines will also have to tell fliers clearly that their seats are guaranteed and that they don't have to pay extra to ensure they have seats for flights, according to the Transportation Department.

Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said that its member airlines “offer transparency and vast choice to consumers from first search to touchdown” and that they do offer cash refunds.

The 11 largest U.S. airlines returned $10.9 billion in cash refunds last year, an increase over $7.5 billion in 2019 but slightly down from $11.2 billion in 2022, the group said.

“U.S. airlines are providing more options and better services while ticket prices, including ancillary revenues, are at historic lows,” Airlines for America said.

Left out of the federal changes announced Wednesday are those involving "family seating fees," but the Transportation Department said in a statement that "DOT is planning to propose a separate rule that bans airlines from charging these junk fees."

Travelers have complained to the Transportation Department that children weren’t seated next to accompanying adults, including in some cases young children, department officials said last year.

Fees on bags specifically have made up an increasing amount of airline revenues, the Transportation Department said Wednesday in announcing the new rules.

A Transportation Department analysis found that airline revenue from baggage fees increased 30% from 2018 to 2022, while operating revenue — which is from the flights themselves — increased by only half that amount, the department said.

Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

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FACT SHEET: Biden- ⁠ Harris Administration Announces Rules to Deliver Automatic Refunds and Protect Consumers from Surprise Junk Fees in Air   Travel

Newly finalized rules will mandate automatic, cash refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed flights and save consumers over half a billion dollars every year in airline fees

WASHINGTON – Building on a historic record of expanding consumer protections and standing up for airline passengers, the Biden-Harris Administration announced final rules that require airlines to provide automatic cash refunds to passengers when owed and protect consumers from costly surprise airline fees. These rules will significantly expand consumer protections in air travel, provide passengers an easier pathway to refunds when owed, and save consumers over half a billion dollars every year in hidden and surprise junk fees.   The rules are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to lower costs for consumers and take on corporate rip-offs. President Biden signed an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in 2021 that encouraged DOT to take steps to promote fairer, more transparent, and competitive markets.   Requiring Automatic Cash Airline Refunds

The first rule requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed because their flights are cancelled or significantly changed, their checked bags are significantly delayed, or the ancillary services, like Wi-Fi, they purchased are not provided.   Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how to make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. Passengers would also receive a travel credit or voucher by default from many airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.   DOT’s rule makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. The final rule requires refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must promptly issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees.

Protecting Against Surprise Airline Junk Fees

Secondly, DOT is requiring airlines and ticket agents to tell consumers upfront what fees they charge for checked bags, a carry-on bag, for changing a reservation, or cancelling a reservation. This ensures that consumers can avoid surprise fees when they purchase tickets from airlines or ticket agents, including both brick-and-mortar travel agencies or online travel agencies. The rule will help consumers avoid unneeded or unexpected charges that can increase quickly and add significant cost to what may, at first, look like a cheap ticket. Extra fees, like checked baggage and change fees, have been a growing source of revenue for airlines, while also becoming more complex and confusing for passengers over time. In total, thanks to the final rule, consumers are expected to save over half a billion dollars every year that they are currently overpaying in airline fees. DOT’s rule ensures that consumers have the information they need to better understand the true costs of air travel. Under the final rule, airlines are required to:

• Disclose baggage, change, and cancellation fees upfront : Each fee must be disclosed the first time that fare and schedule information is provided on the airline’s online platform — and cannot be displayed through a hyperlink.
• Explain fee policies before ticket purchase: For each type of baggage, airlines and ticket agents must spell out the weight and dimension limitations that they impose. They must also describe any prohibitions or restrictions on changing or cancelling a flight, along with policies related to differences in fare when switching to a more or less expensive flight.  
• Share fee information with third parties : An airline must provide useable, current, and accurate information regarding its baggage, change, and cancellation fees and policies to any company that is required to disclose them to consumers and receives fare, schedule, and availability information from that airline.
• Inform consumers that seats are guaranteed: When offering an advance seat assignment for a fee, airlines and ticket agents must let consumers know that purchasing a seat is not necessary to travel, so consumers can avoid paying unwanted seat selection fees.
• Provide both standard and passenger-specific fee information:  Consumers can choose to view passenger-specific fee information based on their participation in the airline’s rewards program, their military status, or the credit card that they use — or they can decide to stay anonymous and get the standard fee information.
• End discount bait-and-switch tactics: The final rule puts an end to the bait-and-switch tactics some airlines use to disguise the true cost of discounted flights. It prohibits airlines from advertising a promotional discount off a low base fare that does not include all mandatory carrier-imposed fees.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration Both of these actions were suggested for consideration by the DOT in the Executive Order on Promoting Competition and build on historic steps the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to expand consumer protections, promote competition, and protect air travelers. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

• DOT launched the flightrights.gov dashboard, and now all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov.
• Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.
• DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.
• DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.
• In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel
• DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect consumers from surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

• Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, as the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.
• Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.
• Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

Travelers can learn more about their protections when they fly at  FlightRights.gov . Consumers may file an airline complaint with the Department  here .

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Best Resorts Near Electrostal History and Art Museum, Elektrostal, Russia

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The sad, stale state of in-flight vegetarian meals

Who ordered the limp cucumber sandwich.

Last month, a traveler posted a photo to Reddit of his girlfriend’s vegetarian meal for a 12-hour flight. It wasn’t pretty.

The sandwich featured two grim cucumber slices and wan tomatoes. On the top half of the dry roll, faint oval imprints of the filling resembled cupping therapy marks. If the flight attendants had tried to revive the meal, they failed.

As a vegan, I could relate. For travelers who don’t eat animal products, the special meal delivered to our seat is often a mystery: What will the ingredients be? How was it prepared? Will it be halfway palatable?

We know the usual suspects all too well, tomato-soupy ratatouille, salty rice the color of pale sunshine or an anemic salad. We squirrel away extra packets of Biscoff not because we are members of the cookie’s fan club; we’re just trying to survive the flight.

The pitiful cuke is the latest publicly shared slight to vegetarian and vegan travelers seeking sustenance on airplanes. In 2023, a Japan Airlines passenger received a solitary banana with chopsticks for his vegan business-class breakfast. In March, Donna Zeigfinger, founder of Green Earth Travel , ordered a quinoa plate on a United flight. The travel adviser’s plant-based meal came with a side of chicken strips.

“They’re not quite getting it,” said Zeigfinger, a longtime vegan. “They’re still not understanding.”

On a 12 hour flight and this was my gf’s veggie sandwich around 8hrs in. by u/pestopopcorn in mildlyinfuriating

Airlines are constantly investing in meal service , especially in the higher ticket categories. American Airlines recently unveiled its reimagined menu, which included such meat-free dishes as truffle ricotta ravioli and vegetable and garbanzo bean tagine with couscous. Yet, veg travelers are discovering a disconnect between what’s on the menu and what lands with a thud — or whimper — on their tray table.

“One word — disgusting,” said Nikki Dewan, a Vegetarian Society member who participated in a recent Facebook survey about airplane food . “Airlines don’t make an effort to bring good, delicious and wholesome food for the airline customers.”

In a Gallup poll conducted in July, 4 percent of Americans said they were vegetarians. So, why aren’t airlines doing better? And can they please cheer up that sad cucumber with a little dressing?

Missing meals force airlines to improvise

In general, a catering company or in-house culinary team plans the in-flight menus and prepares thousands of meals and snacks in an industrial kitchen on the airport grounds. The airlines assume that all of the passengers will eat the standard meals unless they are otherwise informed.

No different from a restaurant or wedding reception, it is the diner’s responsibility to inform the host (in this case, the airline) of dietary restrictions or meal preferences. Most carriers require passengers to submit their meal choices at least 24 to 48 hours before departure, so the chefs can fill the special orders. If you wait until you’re on the plane to share your requirements, you could end up with an improvised meal conjured in the galley.

“I was always amazed by the time it takes to put together a special meal, which is actually not that easy,” said Daniel Klein, executive chef for research and development at LSG Group, one of the world’s largest airline catering firms. “That’s why I can sometimes see why you might just get a banana, because it’s a last-minute request.”

However, reserving a meal is no guarantee that you will receive it. The flight attendant might not deliver the dish to its rightful owner because of a technical glitch, human error or passenger interference.

“It’s not just the quality of the food or the availability. It’s actually the service,” said Deirdra Barr, director of communications for the U.K.-based Vegetarian Society. “So many people’s vegetarian or vegan meals go missing or someone else gets them, and that means they’re left with nothing.”

Grace Philips, a Vegetarian Society member, knew exactly what happened to her veg meal on a recent flight: Another passenger didn’t “fancy the meat option” and asked for the vegetarian option instead. When the flight attendant reached her seat, all of the veg meals were gone. “I was hungry,” she shared on the group’s Facebook page.

In these instances, the flight attendants will often assemble an improvised plate of food for the neglected passenger. They will forage in the galley or pinch items from their own mini-coolers.

On a flight from New York to Scotland, Elyse Mercedes King said a flight attendant donated her two apples. Vanessa Winsor once survived a long-haul trip with three segments of a satsuma mandarin, six grapes and a bread roll.

When Zeigfinger flew United from Washington Dulles to Berlin, her preordered vegan meal never materialized. The flight attendant tried to correct the injustice with a slapdash meal, plus 700 frequent-flier points.

“The flight attendant was really angry,” Zeigfinger said. “She acknowledged that this was a serious thing.”

The best and worst airlines for vegetarians and vegans

In the 1990s, many travelers who identified as carnivores on the ground became temporary vegetarians when flying. The meatless meal seemed like the tastier and less enigmatic option.

“People who weren’t vegetarian were ordering the vegetarian meal because it was so much better than the chicken or beef they would serve on the plane,” said James Doran, director of business development, tourism and hospitality practice at SIS International Research.

As airlines chase after loyalty members and elite travelers, they are paying more attention to overall meal service, including the previously maligned proteins. Some carriers have teamed up with celebrity chefs, such as Delta’s partnerships with Michelle Bernstein, Michael Chiarello and Linton Hopkins. Air France works with Michelin-starred French chefs and award-winning pastry chefs.

Charles Platkin, founder and executive director of the Center for Food as Medicine , described vegan and vegetarian meals as an “afterthought” in this profit-driven market. Even so, the major airlines are still providing special meals, including several that go beyond the traditional veg diet. The subcategories include Asian vegetarian, vegetarian lacto-ovo, fruit platter and Jain , a vegetarian diet that eschews root vegetables.

Travelers note that airlines that cater to populations inclined toward vegetarianism, for cultural or religious reasons, often excel in this department. Doran fondly recalled a vegetarian Malay meal on Malaysian Airlines and an Indian-style vegetarian dish on Emirates. However, this rule doesn’t always apply.

“Very surprisingly Air India is terrible on the occasions I’ve flown with them,” Teresa Dawkes shared on the Vegetarian Society’s Facebook page. “Pretty inedible and they didn’t have any gin.”

Ashley Isaacs Ganz, the vegetarian founder of the luxury tour operator Artisans of Leisure , said she wishes carriers based in countries with strong vegetarian traditions would better showcase their culinary heritage. For example, she suggested Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways incorporate Japanese temple cuisine into their menus.

“I always want to have the Japanese meal, but the different components of the meal are, for the most part, not vegetarian,” she said. “I would love for them to take it to the next level.”

In a Vegetarian Society Facebook post about airplane food, more airlines were panned than praised. Patricia Thompson called Irish carrier Aer Lingus “woeful” for serving dry veggie pasta for dinner and canapés with chicken bits that the flight attendants offered to pick off.

Not just pasta and salad anymore

To be fair, some airlines have been refining their palates.

Since 2009, Swiss has partnered with Hiltl , which claims to be the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant (it was founded in Zurich in 1898). The airline celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a three-course meal that included spicy beetroot tabbouleh, penne with vegetarian bolognaise or massaman curry for the main course, and a vegan mango mousse for dessert.

In November, Australian carrier Qantas launched new vegan menu items in all of its classes. Economy passengers can dine on lemon herb pearl couscous with roasted carrots, baby beans and toasted almonds. Higher classes can sample such dishes as pumpkin and ginger soup with sourdough croutons; stir-fried shiitake mushrooms with tofu, chrysanthemum greens and jasmine rice; or plant-based orecchiette with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower cream and pangrattato.

For its latest vegan and vegetarian menus, Air New Zealand introduced such dishes as cannellini bean smash with pan-fried tofu spinach and jackfruit with coconut red curry and black mustard seed steamed rice.

Klein recently developed a Western-themed vegan menu for Korean Air. For first class, he created a trio of amuse-bouches, including an onion puree flavored with passion fruit; smashed Yukon potatoes with fresh truffles and a chestnut puree; and a risotto with roasted vegetables.

He said the biggest challenge in crafting innovative in-flight meals is not the altitude, which dulls the taste buds, but the cost of some products. He said alternative meats are too expensive to include on menus.

“They are still very pricey,” he said. “We’re not there yet, so we go with regular items, but we try to be creative.”

Platkin is not clamoring for fake proteins on flights. He advocates for clean, healthy ingredients, and said the airlines already rely too heavily on processed foods and easy carbs.

When asked to review new menu options on American Airlines, he said the dishes look tasty, but he was concerned about the heavy use of cheese and the fake meat.

As for the meal plan for international economy passengers, his critique was short and to the point: “It is all pasta.”

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.

Wheelchair basketball players say Southwest left a '300-piece jigsaw puzzle' after flight

Myranda Shields and Justin Walker’s trip to Richmond, Virginia, for the National Wheelchair Basketball Association National Championships was not a slam dunk.

Walker, who plays for the Phoenix Suns D2 wheelchair team, said that when he and his teammates arrived in Virginia, they found what his girlfriend (Shields) and a fellow wheelchair basketball player described as a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle. The baggage handlers had separated wheels from dozens of wheelchair frames while loading them onto the plane. 

“When we got there, it was like they weren’t prepared for us at all. There was no communication from Denver, like ‘we just packed you the world’s biggest mess of a cargo situation,’ ” Shields told USA TODAY. “All the wheels are off of our chairs, and they don’t have any additional employees to help us.” 

Social media video shows the scene when Shields and Walker arrived in Richmond.

The Suns flew on Southwest Airlines from Phoenix to Richmond via Denver on April 10, and Shields said there were a few other teams participating in the tournament on their flight. She said that the tournament organizers had been in touch with the Richmond airport operators and with Southwest for months before the event to make sure everyone was prepared, but the system still fell apart for the players during their trip.

“We understand what we’re asking, what we need to bring is more than a normal passenger. That’s why we go ahead and communicate,” Walker told USA TODAY. “The lack of knowledge is unreal. It’s just sickening.” 

Shields said the scene on arrival in Richmond was so chaotic that the gate agent eventually called the police because so many players and other travelers were going back and forth into the jetway to collect pieces of their wheelchairs that had been separated. Some of the travelers in the group were not wheelchair users, and some of those who brought wheelchairs have some mobility without their device, so they were able to work on piecing things back together. 

The situation did not improve in the baggage claim area.

“When we got down to baggage claim, the people that were down there, there wasn’t nearly enough staff for this situation,” Shields said. The employees in the airport were telling passengers that bags had been left off the plane to accommodate the unusually high number of wheelchairs and it led to frustration for everyone in the arrivals hall.

“It was insane the way there were passengers yelling at us. It was just awful. They were just blaming everything on the wheelchairs,” Shields said.

Southwest’s airport manager in Richmond sent an email to team captains and event organizers acknowledging the incident. 

“I wanted to apologize to those teams that experienced a prolonged delay and negative experience when arriving here into RIC over the last two days. There has been communication to all cities involved in your travel plans for well over a month and our goals were to make your travel experience as smooth as possible. We failed on our end for several of you,” the email, which USA TODAY reviewed, said.

In a separate statement to USA TODAY, Southwest Airlines said it will work to do better.

“We have reviewed the situation and addressed it with the appropriate parties. We value our customers and incorporated their feedback to strive for a better experience the next time they fly with Southwest,” the statement said. “We apologize any time we don’t meet customer expectations and have a long history of caring for our customers.”

Cruising Altitude: Data doesn't show how 'catastrophic' airline wheelchair damage can be

For Shields and Walker, the statements don’t go far enough, saying they encountered similar issues on the trip home as they connected in Chicago Midway.

“For me, it’s the lack of listening by Southwest employees and the ground staff,” Walker said. “If we have to listen to them about how many exits are on the plane, if we have to listen to them about what to do and what not to do, then they should have the decency to listen to us.”

Both Shields and Walker said they want Southwest to improve its communications with disabled travelers and provide more in-depth training for baggage handlers who handle mobility equipment.

U.S. airlines damage thousands of mobility devices every year

According to the Department of Transportation , Shields and Walker’s experience is hardly an outlier. In 2023, U.S. airlines transported 835,327 wheelchairs and other mobility aids last year, and there were 11,527 reports of damage – a rate of 1.38 devices damaged per 100 carried.

While that’s a slight improvement over 2022 statistics, advocates say even one incident of mobility device damage is too much, and want to see airlines get those numbers down to zero if they want to claim to be accessible for all travelers.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

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