Complaints against US airlines rise nearly 30 per cent
Customer complaints against US airlines have risen nearly 30% this year, according to the latest figures from Department of Transportation.
From January to September 2015, the DoT received 15,770 consumer complaints, up from 12,348 filed during the first nine months of 2014 and representing a 27% rise.
In September, it received 1,857 complaints about airline service from consumers, up from the total of 1,158 filed in September 2014, but down from the 2,205 received in August 2015.
Complaints covered a number of issues including flight problems, baggage, reservation and ticketing, refunds, consumer service, disability, and discrimination.
The figures showed a rise in disability-related complaints, up 9.3% to 661 complaints in the nine-month period.
But while complaints are on the rise, the latest figures show airlines are more punctual.
Carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 86.5% in September, up from 81.1% in September 2014 and 80.3% in August 2015.
September’s on-time rate was the fourth highest of the 249 months with comparable records, the second highest for any September, and above the September average of 82.73% in the previous 20 years.
Here are some of the key findings for September 2015:
Highest On-Time Arrival Rates
1. Delta Air Lines – 90.5%
2. Alaska Airlines – 88.7%
3. Southwest Airlines – 87.8%
Lowest On-Time Arrival Rates
1. Spirit Airlines – 76.7%
2. JetBlue Airways – 80.0%
3. Hawaiian Airlines – 84.2%
Highest Rates of Canceled Flights
1. Envoy Air – 1.7%
2. SkyWest Airlines 0.7%
3. Spirit Airlines – 0.7%
Lowest Rates of Canceled Flights
1. Delta Air Lines – 0.0%
2. Alaska Airlines – 0.2%
3. Virgin America – 0.2%
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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