When flights are delayed or canceled, passengers will soon have access to a new tool that will let them assess airline services.
On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg informed airline CEOs that his office would be developing a new website that would include the services that airlines claim they'll offer during irregular options.
The launch of the new website coincides with a larger agency campaign to put pressure on business to strengthen consumer protections.
The DOT pushed the carriers to make their own regulations more consumer-friendly earlier this month in order to avoid greater government regulation.
The new website will incorporate information that is already freely accessible to the public when it debuts on September 2.
It is currently submitted to the department in each airline's customer service plans, but this is the first time the government will make it available in a format that is user-friendly.
Buttigieg also pleaded with airlines in the letters, one of which was leaked, to offer meal coupons for delays of three hours or more and hotel accommodations for overnight interruptions.
The department is looking into potential regulatory actions "that would significantly broaden the rights of airline passengers who endure disruptions," he added.
When the delay is under their control and not due to weather or other external circumstances, the majority of airlines currently offer these types of accommodations.
The action comes at the tail end of a summer marked by operational problems for American flight travelers and repeated exchanges of accusatory remarks between airline executives and government representatives.
The letter from Buttigieg stated, "The kind of disruption Americans have endured this summer is intolerable."
"During the first half of 2022, around 24% of domestic flights operated by U.S. airlines were delayed, while 3.2% were canceled.
These aren't simply statistics, as you are aware; these are also the birthdays, graduations, family gatherings, and crucial meetings that were skipped.
Airlines claim that a large portion of the delays are caused by problems with air traffic control, notably personnel, which is a matter under the responsibility of the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA issued a warning to travelers about staffing-related delays in and out of New York City's congested airspace on Monday evening.
Airlines for America, the industry's lobbying organization, stated in a statement that both the airlines and the federal government are dealing with difficulties.
According to a statement from the organization, "as our country emerges from the pandemic, industries across the economy, as well as the federal government, are experiencing a number of issues, including a tight labor market."
We're all in this together, and U.S. airlines are determined to keeping up their cooperative efforts with all parties to get through these challenges.
Airlines strive daily to ensure that passengers have a safe, easy, and enjoyable experience on their flights.
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