Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has urged the 10 largest airlines in the United States to do more to assist stranded and delayed passengers and warned the government may adopt new regulations.
Buttigieg sent letters to the biggest major, regional, and low-cost carrier chief executives alerting them that the department is contemplating options to write new rules to further expand the rights of airline passengers.
Buttigieg urged airlines to assess customer service plans to ensure they “guarantee adequate amenities and services to help passengers with expenses and inconveniences due to delays and cancellations.”
The letters, which were made public today, asked airlines to at a minimum provide passengers meal vouchers for delays of three hours or more and lodging accommodations for passengers who must wait overnight at an airport because of disruptions within the carrier’s control.
Currently in the United States, some airlines provide meals or hotel rooms if they cancel or delay flights if they are to blame for disruptions. But the airlines are not legally required to do anything for their passengers.
Buttigieg said he appreciated steps airlines had taken to improve service but added “the level of disruption Americans have experienced this summer is unacceptable”.
Buttigieg cited that in the first six months, “roughly 24% of the domestic flights of U.S. airlines have been delayed and 3.2% have been canceled.” Complaints to USDOT from airline passengers have soared this year.
The department plans to create an interactive dashboard for air travelers to compare services or amenities that each of the large airlines provides when a flight is canceled or delayed. It is expected to launch by September 2.
Buttigieg and major U.S. airlines have often clashed this summer over who is responsible for tens of thousands of flight delays and cancellations. He met virtually with airline CEOs ahead of the busy July 4 travel weekend to pressure them to perform better, set more realistic schedules, and said the airline industry is largely responsible for the travel woes.
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