The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has reported that the American airline industry saw its best year in terms of flight cancellations in 2023, marking the lowest cancellation rate in the past decade.
A news release from the DOT stated that there were 16.3 million flights in 2023 with a documented cancellation rate under 1.2 percent. The Transportation Security Administration also highlighted that 2023 was the most active year ever for air travel, including during the holiday period from December 17 to January 1 when the cancellation rate was under 0.8 percent compared to an 8.2 percent rate during the same period in 2022.
"Thanks to the tireless work of our nation's aviation safety professionals, millions of travelers were able to fly safely and without disruption last year," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "We are glad to see this 10-year low rate of cancellations, and our department will continue to take every step to ensure air travel is smooth and safe for passengers in the new year."
Buttigieg has led efforts within the DOT to protect airline passengers' tickets and itineraries regarding flights they have booked, according to the news release. It further reported that all ten major airlines now provide hotel and lodging when a traveler experiences a cancellation or delay. In addition, Southwest Airlines was fined $140 million by the DOT for failing to safeguard passenger flights from cancellation during the holiday season in 2022. This fine, which is thirty times larger than any previous monetary punishment, was intended as a warning signal to the airline industry ahead of future holiday seasons.
"(This) action sets a new precedent and sends a clear message: if airlines fail their passengers, we will use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable," Buttigieg said. "Taking care of passengers is not just the right thing to do — it's required, and this penalty should put all airlines on notice to take every step possible to ensure that a meltdown like this never happens again."
