Delta has refunded over 11 million tickets for Covid disruptions
Delta Air Lines says it has refunded over 11 million tickets since the start of the pandemic.
That equates to a massive $6 billion returned to customers in refunds for Covid-related disruptions.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian says about one-fifth were refunds issued this year.
Bastian outlined what steps the airline has taken to meet customer expectations in a letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“Since the beginning of 2020 we’ve refunded over 11 million tickets totaling $6 billion, of which 20% has taken place in 2022,” Bastian wrote
“Delta’s 2022 capacity restoration compared to 2019 is the lowest among our competitors. We currently have 91% of 2019 active pilots covering 86% of 2019 departures.”
Delta has automatically awarded an extra 10,000 miles to the frequent flyer accounts of travelers who experienced travel disruptions between May 1 and July 7.
Delta made the letter public amid growing pressure from lawmakers to crack down on airlines.
The DOT has audited the refund practices of 10 airlines and is not ruling out new rules on ticket refunds.
The FAA on Aug. 12 said Delta could temporarily cut some flights at New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The FAA said as a condition of approval that Delta “should offer customers a refund or rebook them on Delta or another carrier as needed for canceled flights at the three airports.”
In July, Democratic Senators introduced a bill calling for an ‘enforceable right to a full cash refund for flight and ticket cancellations.’
Delta operates more than 4,000 flights daily under normal conditions, carrying nearly 200 million customers annually.
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