US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged the ten biggest airlines in the country to do more to assist stranded and delayed passengers, describing the level of inconvenience travelers have experienced this summer as "unacceptable."
Buttigieg has argued with major US airlines over who gets the blame for tens of thousands of flight delays and cancellations this summer. His action came following pressure from American politicians to ask airline companies to provide better customer service or face harsh penalties, according to a report from Reuters.
Buttigieg stated that his agency (USDOT) is contemplating options to establish new rules that would further broaden the rights of airline passengers in letters to the CEOs of major, regional, and low-cost carriers that were made public on Friday.
He asked airlines to "at a minimum" provide meal vouchers for delays of three hours or more and housing passengers who must wait overnight due to disruptions under the carrier's control. He pushed airlines to ensure adequate services for customers experiencing delays and cancellations.
Buttigieg stated: "Regardless of the cause of the delays or cancelations, the Department expects airlines to provide timely and responsive customer service during and after periods of flight disruptions."
When they are at fault for delays or cancellations, the majority of U.S. airlines offer meals or hotel rooms, although they are not mandated.
Airlines Trade Group To Cooperate with US Gov't
Airlines for America, a trade association, stated that companies are willing to cooperate with the government to improve accountability for passengers.
The group said in a statement: "Airlines want travelers to have a safe, seamless, and positive travel experience and are working toward that goal every day."
Buttigieg wrote that while he acknowledged the efforts made by airlines to enhance customer service to address the "unacceptable" level of inconvenience American travelers had experienced this summer.
According to him, in the first six months, 3.2 percent of domestic flights operated by US airline companies were canceled, and about 24 percent of them experienced delays. Passenger complaints to USDOT have increased dramatically this year. Several new airline consumer regulations are being drafted by the department, including one that mandates refunds for delayed baggage.
In June, the organization issued a warning to airlines charging an additional payment to let young children sit adjacent to traveling relatives.
USDOT Working on an Interactive Dashboard To Assist Passengers
USA Today reported that USDOT is developing a new interactive dashboard where passengers can find easy-to-read, comparative summaries of the services or amenities that each of the major American airliners offers when the reason for a cancellation or delay was beyond the control of the company.
Even though policies on delays are supposed to be part of legally required Customer Service Plans, current Transportation Department regulations only compel airlines to pay passengers refunds if their flights are canceled for any reason.
At three major airports in the New York City area on Monday, hundreds of flights were delayed after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported staffing shortages and warned that delays might reach two hours.
No federal laws in the United States require airlines to offer complimentary lodging or food vouchers in case of a flight delay or cancellation. Individual airlines instead establish their own rules, per Business Insider.
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