The U.S. Department of Transportation received 16,876
airline service complaints in December 2022, the third highest monthly total on
record, according to the agency. DOT had initially released its Air Travel
Consumer Report with December
data nearly a month ago, but it needed the extra time for the complaint
section because of its high volume. The January 2023 complaint data also
has been delayed for the same reason, according to DOT.
The number of December complaints was nearly four times the
amount reported in December 2021 (4,253 complaints) and was up 155.1 percent from
November 2022. More than half (51.7 percent) of December’s complaints were
against Southwest Airlines, which experienced severe
disruptions during and after the Christmas holiday season. Southwest has addressed
the situation and is making changes to minimize the risk of such an event
happening again.
Of the total December complaints received, 13,912 (82.4
percent) were against U.S. carriers, 2,542 (15.1 percent) were against foreign
air carriers, and 415 (2.5 percent) were against travel companies, according to
DOT.
Flight problems concerning cancellations, delays or other
deviations from airlines’ schedules was the highest category of complaints at
52.5 percent, according to DOT. Refunds was the second highest category at 14.5
percent. Baggage complaints came in third at 13.8 percent.
The only other months on record where DOT received a higher
number of complaints were April 2020 (19,856) and May 2020 (21,914), which were
during the beginning of the pandemic.
For full-year 2022, DOT received 77,656 complaints, up 55.3
percent year over year, but down 24.3 percent from the record high of 102,560
received in 2020. About 31.7 percent concerned flight problems, 25.7 precent
were about refunds, and 15.5 percent concerned baggage.
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Southwest, Storm Drive December Air Cancellations
