Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation released the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operating data collected for January 2022 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, incoming complaints, and oversales. ATCR is designed to help consumers with information about the quality of services provided by airlines. It also contains information about security screening complaints of passengers and baggage received by the Transportation Security Administration, which is available for the first time in a more comprehensive format. ATCR and other airline consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer.
In January, the COVID-19 pandemic (particularly the sudden rise in COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant) continued to bring significant changes to airlines’ schedules and operations. 528,070 flights operated in January 2022, an increase of 85.3% from 619,099 flights operated in the pre-pandemic period in January 2019. Flights operated in January 2022 increased by 51.0% year-on-year from 375,229 flights operated in January 2022. January 2021 and down 6.8% per month – more than a month from the 566,465 flights operated in December 2021.
In January 2022, the 10 carriers reported to Marketing Networks 563,737 scheduled domestic flights, of which 35,667 (6.3%) were cancelled. In January 2021, the same airlines reported 379,384 scheduled domestic flights, of which 4,155 (1.1%) were cancelled. In December 2021, airlines scheduled 580,238 domestic flights, of which 13,773 (2.4%) were canceled.
January 2022 Arrive on time
In January 2022, marketing firms reported an on-time arrival rate of 75.3%, down from 76.0% in December 2021 and 78.4.0% in January 2019 before the pandemic.
Highest On-Time Marketing Firms Access Rates for January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
- Delta Air Lines network with 79.4%
- American Airlines Network – 78.0%
- Hawaiian Airlines with 77.9%
Lowest On-Time Marketing Companies Access Rates for January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
- JetBlue Airways with 61.2%
- Allegiant Air at 65.5%
- Frontier Airlines with 69.4%
January 2022 Flights Canceled
In January 2022, marketing firms canceled 6.3% of their scheduled domestic flights, up from the 2.4% rate in December 2021 and 3.1% in the pre-pandemic period January 2019.
Marketing agency lowest prices for canceled flights in January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
- Spirit Airlines by 3.4%
- Hawaiian Airlines 3.7%
- Frontier Airlines by 4.5%
Marketing Companies Highest Rates for Canceled Trips in January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
- JetBlue Airways with 9.8%
- United Airlines – 8.7%
- Allegiant Air 8.3%
Airport runway 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 the pre-pandemic period in January 2019. In January 2022, airlines reported 5 runway delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to 0 runway delays reported in December 2021 and 6 runway delays in the pre-pandemic period in January 2019.
Airlines are required to have and abide by 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 an option for passengers to disembark, subject to safety and security exceptions. and reasons related to air traffic control. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins returning the aircraft to a disembarkation point suitable for disembarking passengers at those times.
The tarmac delays have been investigated by management.
Mishandled baggage
In January 2022, marketing firms handled 31.4 million bags and recorded a mishandled baggage rate of 0.81%, higher than the December 2021 rate of 0.66% and the pre-pandemic January 2019 rate of 0.6%.
In the reports for the previous three calendar years (2019 to 2022), management calculated the rate of incorrectly handled baggage based on the number of incorrectly handled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The section now displays the incorrectly handled baggage data as a percentage (ie per 100 baggage planed). This is consistent with the way the rate of poorly handled wheelchairs and scooters is calculated and presented.
Wheelchairs and scooters that have been misused
In January 2022, marketing firms reported that 35,150 wheelchairs and scooters were inspected and mishandled 647 with a rate of 1.84% of wheelchairs and scooters mishandled, higher than the 1.65% mishandled rate in December 2021 but lower than the rate of abused in December 2021 2.1% previously mishandled. The January 2019 pandemic, the highest ever.
Vibration/overselling
Bumper/sales surge data, unlike that of other air carriers, is reported quarterly rather than monthly.
For the fourth quarter of 2021, the 10 U.S. marketing firms reported an involuntary boarding or bumping prevention rate of 0.23 per 10,000 passengers, which is up from a rate of 0.16 in the third quarter of 2021 and a rate of 0.03 in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Accidents 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 submitted in December 2021 and equal to the only report submitted in the pre-pandemic period in January 2019. January 2022 included The accident was the death of one animal.
Complaints about airline service
In January 2022, the Department of Transportation received 5,091 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 20.0% from 4,242 complaints received in December 2021 and up 479.8% from 878 complaints received in the pre-pandemic period in January 2019.
Of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,590 (50.9%) were against US airlines, 1,804 (35.4%) against foreign airlines, and 691 (13.6%) against travel companies.
Also, of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,354 (46.2%) related to 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 refund requirements. Many passengers who were initially refused refunds received required refunds. Management has taken and will take enforcement action against non-compliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary.
Flight problems were the second highest category of complaints received in January 2022. Of the 5,091 complaints received, 752 (14.8%) were related to cancellations, delays, or other deviations from airline schedules. The department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection routinely contacts airlines with widespread cancellations or delays to remind them of their obligation to immediately refund travelers who have chosen 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 outlines the services the airline provides to mitigate passenger inconveniences from flight cancellations and miscommunication. The administration monitors airlines’ actions and reviews complaints it receives against airlines to ensure that consumers’ rights are not being violated.
Complaints about the treatment of disabled passengers
In January 2022, the department received a total of 143 disability complaints, down from 180 disability complaints received in December 2021, but up from 48 complaints received in the pre-pandemic period in January 2019.
Complaints about discrimination
In January 2022, the department received five complaints alleging discrimination – two about race, two about national origin, and one complaint categorized as “other.” This equals the five complaints received in December 2021, and is down from the seven complaints registered in the pre-pandemic period in January 2019.
Consumers can file consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they can mail a complaint to the Consumer Protection Department. Consumer in Aviation, US Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.
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