In April 2019, before the pandemic, only 8% of airline complaints related to refunds and credits.
DALLAS, Texas – For the past few weeks, the aviation industry has struggled with cancellations and delays as sudden weather events created a perfect storm across the country with ongoing labor shortages.
As airlines continue to struggle for a balance, the U.S. Department of Transportation told the New York Times Tuesday that the majority of its complaints with airlines revolve around refunds and credits.
The newspaper reported Tuesday that “reimbursement problems accounted for nearly 70% of all airline complaints to the Department of Transportation.”
That number is down from 75% in March and 88% in April 2020, but highlights the frustration travelers experience with the rebooking and refund process.
According to the Times, “In April 2020, the Department of Transportation received over 17,000 complaints about the inability to receive refunds on flights, an increase of more than 17,000% from just 98 in the same month in 2019.”
On Friday, DFW International Airport was the world’s best airport for cancellations and delays, according to FlightAware.
RELATED: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport had the most canceled flights in the world on Friday
Glenn Scoggins and his girlfriend Alex Hill were stranded in Dallas after their flight was rerouted due to bad weather.
The Norfolk couple hoped to land in Portland to visit the family for a vacation.
After being rerouted and detained Thursday night, they informed the WFAA that they would not be able to get a new flight to Oregon until Monday.
“They just left us stranded there,” said Scoggins. “It was ridiculous.”
Scoggins said he paid for travel insurance but struggled through the claims process with American Airlines because the airline was so overwhelmed that day.
“I was on hold for three hours and no one answered the phone,” said Hill.
The couple spent Friday and Saturday at a Dallas hotel, then tossed their plans out the window and flew southwest to Nashville on Sunday.
They’ll be back in the Norfolk area as of Tuesday. Hill had to buy new clothes for a few days because her bags were being sent to Portland.
“I didn’t expect to buy five days worth of clothes,” Hill said.
RELATED: Father and 3 children sleep on the airport floor amid delays and cancellations
The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to provide a full refund within 7 days for a flight they cancel.
This rule also applies to flights with a significant delay or schedule change, or to a ticket that a traveler cancels within 24 hours of purchase.
On the American Airlines website, the Receipts and Refunds page says, “We have a lot of refund requests, so it’s taking longer than usual. If your ticket is eligible for a refund, you should hear from us within 7 days. ”
A spokesman said Tuesday, “American Airlines is offering customers the option of purchasing travel insurance through a third-party provider, Allianz Global Assistance. Customers with insurance or damage issues should contact Allianz directly.”
However, Scoggins might have known this if he could reach a customer service representative.
The fine print for refunds can be even more difficult to find or understand with online travel agents.
Any problem with tickets purchased or vouchers issued through an online travel agency must be resolved by that company, not the airline.
Not many understand that.
Expedia has just announced that it will be recruiting 500 additional customer service agents to help travelers with questions about rebooking or refunds due to staff congestion.
If you’re going to fly soon, Scoggins has some advice.
“Have a second plan ready.”
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