Consumer complaints against U.S. airlines are set to reach a new record in 2023, with the number of complaints filed in the first five months of the year more than double compared to the same period last year, according to a report by U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The complaints primarily revolve around flight delays, mishandled luggage, damaged wheelchairs, and the lack of refunds. Frontier, Spirit Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines received the most complaints per 100,000 passengers, while Republic Airways, SkyWest, and Alaska Airlines had the least. With the holiday season approaching, travelers are advised to download airline apps, use bag trackers, know their legal rights, fly in the morning, avoid connecting flights, pay with a credit card, and document their belongings to mitigate potential issues.
A passenger took matters into her own hands when her lost bag was showing as being at Chicago O'Hare airport, but her airline, United, was doing nothing about it. Despite providing evidence from her tracking device, United representatives failed to locate the bag and suggested she file a claim for compensation. Frustrated, the passenger flew to Chicago herself and retrieved her bag within 30 seconds. United later apologized, refunded her miles, and offered a travel credit. The incident highlights the inefficiencies in airline baggage handling and the need for improved customer service.
Complaints about air travel have nearly quadrupled compared with prepandemic levels, with travelers lodging 60,732 complaints from January 2022 to November, according to a report by U.S. Pirg Education Fund. The complaints targeted U.S. and foreign airlines, third-party booking sites, travel agents, and others, due to waves of cancellations, delays, and lost baggage disrupting the travel plans of millions of fliers.
