Is The DOT Sleeping on Consumer Aviation Complaints?

U.S. Department of Transportation Building

In a year like no other, is the U.S. Department of Transportation ignoring consumer complaints? An investigation shows the agency received over 100,000 complaints, with the majority of them focused on getting refunds for flights cancelled due to the pandemic.

There’s no arguing that 2020 was a very unique year for both airlines and consumers, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced airlines to ground flights and flyers to stay “safer at home.” Amid the changes, passenger complaints rose to new highs as carriers refused to grant refunds for cancelled flights. An investigation by The Wall Street Journal shows flyers filed 102,550 complaints with the U.S. Department of Transportation, an increase of 683 percent compared to a typical year.

Most Complaints Focused on Refund Policies

The biggest issue found among the complaints is a lack of refunds given when flights got cancelled. Although federal law mandates airlines must offer refunds after a cancellation, many decided to issue credits instead. To date, the DOT has only pursued penalties against Air Canada, after the Canadian government pressured the airline to give money back to ticket holders.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the agency is understaffed and unprepared to deal with the deluge of complaints. Furthermore, the DOT did not give comments on the findings, instead noting they are investigating other airlines, and are “committed to ensuring that airline passengers are treated fairly.”

In the meantime, as flyers continue to navigate this new world, they are still encouraged to submit complaints to the U.S. Department of Transportation, as they are the only ones who can investigate airline issues. While filing complaints with other bodies (like the Better Business Bureau) may help, carriers are obligated to respond to DOT complaints in a timely manner.

States Continue Investigations on Airline Practices

Although the DOT is working through the complaint backlog, states are moving forward with their own investigation of practices. In 2020, the Colorado Attorney General requested the DOT look into Frontier Airlines on their refund policies. At last check, the investigation by the state’s top attorney was still ongoing.

Feature image courtesy: kmf164/flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0