In January, the COVID-19 pandemic (particularly the spike in COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant) continued to result in significant changes to airline schedules and operations. The 528,070 flights operated in January 2022 were 85.3% of the 619,099 flights operated in pre-pandemic January 2019. Operated flights in January 2022 were up 51.0% year-over-year from the 375,229 flights operated in January 2021 and down 6.8% month-over-month from the 566,465 flights operated in December 2021.
In January 2022, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 563,737 scheduled domestic flights, 35,667 (6.3 %) of which were canceled. In January 2021, the same airlines reported 379,384 scheduled domestic flights, 4,155 (1.1%) of which were canceled. In December 2021, airlines scheduled 580,238 domestic flights, of which 13,773 (2.4%) were canceled.
January 2022 On-Time Arrival
In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 75. 3%, down from 76.0% in December 2021 and 78.4.0% in pre-pandemic January 2019.
Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
- Delta Air Lines Network – 79.4%
- American Airlines Network– 78.0%
- Hawaiian Airlines – 77.9%
Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates January 2022 (ATCR Table 1)
- JetBlue Airways – 61.2%
- Allegiant Air – 65.5%
- Frontier Airlines – 69.4%
January 2022 Flight Cancellations
In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers canceled 6.3% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate of both 2.4% in December 2021 and 3.1% in pre-pandemic January 2019.
Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
- Spirit Airlines – 3.4%
- Hawaiian Airlines – 3.7%
- Frontier Airlines – 4.5%
Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Canceled Flights January 2022 (ATCR Table 6)
- JetBlue Airways – 9.8%
- United Airlines– 8.7%
- Allegiant Air – 8.3%
Tarmac Delays
In January 2022, airlines reported 14 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 33 tarmac delays reported in December 2021 and 10 tarmac delays reported in pre-pandemic January 2019. In January 2022, airlines reported 5 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights, compared to 0 tarmac delays reported in December 2021 and 6 tarmac delays in pre-pandemic January 2019.
Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.
Extended tarmac delays are investigated by the Department.
Mishandled Baggage
In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers handled 31.4 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.81%, a higher rate than both the December 2021 rate of 0.66% and the pre-pandemic January 2019 rate of 0.6%.
In the previous three calendar year reports (2019 to 2022), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. The Department is now displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned). This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.
Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters
In January 2022, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 35,150 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 647 for a rate of 1.84% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.65% mishandled in December 2021 but lower than the rate of 2.1% mishandled in pre-pandemic January 2019, which is the highest rate on record.
Bumping/Oversales
Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly.
For the fourth quarter of 2021, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.23 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.16 in the third quarter of 2021 and the rate of 0.03 in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Incidents Involving Animals
In January 2022, carriers reported one incident involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the four reports filed in December 2021 and equal to the one report filed in pre-pandemic January 2019. The January 2022 incident involved the death of one animal.
Complaints About Airline Service
In January 2022, DOT received 5,091 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 20.0% from the 4,242 complaints received in December 2021 and up 479.8% from the 878 complaints received in pre-pandemic January 2019.
Of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,590 (50.9%) were against U.S. carriers, 1,804 (35.4%) were against foreign air carriers, and 691 (13.6%) were against travel companies.
Also, of the 5,091 complaints received in January 2022, 2,354 (46.2%) concerned refunds. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection continues to communicate with airlines and travel companies that receive refund complaints to ensure compliance with the refund requirements. Many passengers who had initially been denied refunds have received the required refunds. The Department has taken and will take enforcement action against noncompliant airlines and ticket agents as necessary.
Flight problems was the second highest category of the complaints received in January 2022. Of the 5,091 complaints received, 752 (14.8%) concerned cancellations, delays, or other deviations from airlines’ schedules. The Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection routinely contacts airlines with widespread cancellations or delays to remind them of their obligation to promptly refund passengers who choose not to accept the alternative offered for a canceled or significantly changed flight. Airlines are also required to have and adhere to a customer service plan that identifies the services that the airline provides to mitigate passenger inconveniences resulting from flight cancellations and misconnections. The Department monitors airlines’ actions and reviews complaints that it receives against airlines to ensure that consumers’ rights are not violated.
Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers
In January 2022, the Department received a total of 143 disability-related complaints, down from the 180 disability-related complaints received in December 2021, but up from the 48 complaints received in pre-pandemic January 2019.
Complaints About Discrimination
In January 2022, the Department received five complaints alleging discrimination – two complaints regarding race, two complaints regarding national origin, and one complaint categorized as “other.” This is equal to the five complaints received in December 2021, and down from the seven complaints recorded in pre-pandemic January 2019.
Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voicemail at (202) 366-2220, or they may mail a complaint to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Tags: US DOT
