This year, talk in the travel industry has frequently centered on passenger-rights issues. From full-body imaging machines to the almighty tarmac rule that came into effect in April, aviation experts have been busy on changing the industry, and travelers have been responding.
To the airlines’ and airports’ credit, things have been looking up since their publicized efforts. Overall, there has been a dramatic drop-off in tarmac delays and heavy improvements in on-time performance and baggage handling.
Surprisingly, passengers are angrier than ever.
This year over last, complaints have gone up 35 percent, mostly about things like fares, refunds, flight complications and baggage issues, despite the vast improvements. The Department of Transportation received 1,200 complaints this year, and only 891 in the same month last year.
On-time performance has improved, cancellations have remained the same (even though there were fears that the new tarmac rule would increase cancellations), and baggage issues have improved statistically as well.
Last August, there were 66 instances of people enduring three-hour delays, and this August there was only one. This spring, the first four months of the tarmac rule saw only eight three-hour delays. Last year, there were a reported 529 delays that exceeded three hours.
If anything the stats show that the rule is protecting passengers enormously from being held captive on planes for an extended amount of time.
So, what gives?
Experts estimate that the rise in complaints is a direct result of the simple notion that there has been more publicity around passenger rights, so people feel more compelled to be vocal. And secondly, the Department of Transportation redesigned its website, making it easier to file complaints.
Apparently, travel industry is improving so greatly, that it’s even improving its customers’ access to complain.
