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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released data on consumer submissions regarding air travel for the full calendar year 2023. The volume of submissions, including complaints, inquiries, and reviews, reached record levels, surpassed only by 2020.
In 2023, the DOT received 96,853 consumer complaints, compared to 86,240 in 2022. 67,661 involved U.S. carriers, 24,991 involved foreign air carriers, and 3,162 involved travel agencies. Disability-related complaints increased from 2,098 to 2,685 in 2022, while discrimination-related complaints increased from 176 to 223. Disability-related complaints have averaged 91% of consumer complaints over the past three years.
According to the DOT, the release of this data, included in the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR), has been delayed due to the high volume of complaints received by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) and the processing time required by the department’s outdated system.
To address these challenges, DOT is modernizing its consumer complaint handling system with support from an investment from the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF). This update aims to improve the customer experience and enable more effective oversight of the aviation sector.
