Here’s the takeaway from the Department of Transportation’s latest Air Travel Consumer Report: airline complaints skyrocketed this past July. Consumers filed 1,285 gripes with DOT. That’s up 14 percent over June 2011 figures, and and a full 17.1 percent over July 2010 numbers.
Complaints concerning the treatment of disabled fliers similarly soared. There were 56 of them in July 2011. Contrast that with July 2010’s 31 complaints, and June 2011’s 48 complaints.
Interestingly, the spikes come even as on-time performance improved a bit. DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) says, overall, airlines racked up an on-time arrival rate of 77.8 percent in July 2011 – up from June 2011’s 76.9 percent figure, and July 2010’s 76.7 percent number.
BTS reports 5.69 percent of carriers’ flights were delayed in July 2011 because of weather. Contrast that with June 2011’s 6.06 percent.
Hawaiian Airlines recorded the best on-time arrival rate. 95.1 percent of its flights got to the gate on time. Atlantic Southeast Airlines had the worst on-time arrival rate. The carrier, which operates under the Delta Connection banner, managed a mere 69 percent on-time arrival rate.
Other things BTS looks at include mishandled baggage, and incidents involving pets.
Airlines mishandled a bit more bags this July, when there were 3.71 such reports per 1,000 passengers. In June 2011 the figure was 3.57 per 1,000. The July 2010 number was 3.69 percent per 1,000 fliers.
Fewer pets were reported to have died or been injured in July 2011 compared to the same period a year earlier – six as compared to eight. Still, five of those six animals this July died.
So, is airline service getting better or worse? Tell about your experiences of late.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: millicent_bystander)
