Consumer Complaints About Air Travel Soared Last Year: DOT Report

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) saw a surge in consumer complaints about air travel last year, reaching levels not seen since 2020—when many flights were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The DOT said in a report on July 5 that it received 96,853 consumer submissions—including complaints, inquiries, and opinions—about airlines last year, up from 86,240 in 2022. This marked the highest number since 2020, when there were 102,550 complaints. Complaints made up an average of 91 percent of the 2023 submissions, according to the report. The DOT stated that it had to delay the release of the data until July due to the “high volume” of complaints it received against airlines and ticket agents last year....