U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been vocal on social media about the department's success in reducing flight cancellations. He attributes this achievement to the DOT's investments in air travel and its commitment to holding airlines accountable.
Secretary Buttigieg stated, "Last year, we saw U.S. flight cancellations fall to the lowest rate in a decade. This is in part thanks to the investments we've made in air travel and our work holding airlines accountable for better service to passengers."
According to a news release from the DOT, there were 16.3 million flights in 2023 with a cancellation rate under 1.2 percent. The Transportation Security Administration noted that 2023 was an exceptionally active year for air travel, even during the holiday period from December 17 to January 1 when the cancellation rate fell below 0.8 percent compared to an 8.2 percent rate during the same period in 2022.
Buttigieg further commented on these statistics saying, "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." He added, "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."
Under Buttigieg's leadership, the DOT has implemented measures designed to protect airline passengers' tickets and itineraries regarding flights they have booked, as per the news release. It also reported that all ten major airlines now provide hotel and lodging when a traveler experiences a cancellation or delay. Furthermore, 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 stern warning to the airline industry ahead of future holiday seasons.
Buttigieg stated, "(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." He added, "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."
