DALLAS- In February, a significant 25% of flight-related issues reported by domestic air travelers to the U.S. Department of Transportation were directed at Southwest Airlines (WN), as per the most recent Air Travel Consumer Report.
During this month, the DOT recorded 6,644 complaints regarding airline services from consumers, marking a decline of 38.6% compared to the previous month’s complaints.
Southwest Gets Highest Complaints
Among these, 4,405 complaints were directed toward U.S. carriers, while 1,928 pertained to foreign air carriers. The most frequent category of complaints received was related to flight issues.
Out of the 6,644 complaints filed, 2,115 were linked to cancellations, delays, or other airline schedule disruptions.
Of these 2,115 complaints regarding flight problems, 540 were specifically targeted at Southwest Airlines.
This translates to over 25% of the overall total. The Department of Transportation confirmed its ongoing thorough investigation into the extensive disruptions experienced by Southwest, including the extensive flight cancellations that occurred during the 2022 Christmas holiday period and carried into the New Year.
OACP Investigation
The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) is actively examining multiple domestic airlines for their practice of setting overly ambitious flight schedules.
Additionally, OACP proactively engages with airlines experiencing widespread cancellations or delays to emphasize their responsibility to promptly reimburse passengers who opt not to accept the alternative arrangements provided for a canceled or substantially altered flight.
In February, refund-related issues ranked as the second most prevalent category of complaints.
Out of the total 6,644 complaints received, 1,449, accounting for approximately 21.8 percent, were related to refunds.
Over the past two years, the Department has played a significant role in facilitating the return of over two billion dollars in refunds to travelers.
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