DENVER — A new report released by the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG) Foundation shows an increase in complaints against airlines is more than double the increase in passengers for 2024.
While airline passengers are seeing a rise in new protections as they fly, travelers still expect airlines to do better.
Of the 67,000 complaints made to the U.S. Department of Transportation last year, most included canceled flights, lost bagage and stalled refunds, according to the CoPIRG Foundation.
Danny Katz, the foundation's executive director, said airlines delayed or canceled 1.7 million flights, and 2.7 million checked items were lost or damaged.
"We know that complaints soared in 2024. They were up 9% from the previous year, even though passenger travel was only up 4%. So clearly, there were a lot of problems last year," Katz said. "In previous years, the data did break that down, and it has been pretty consistent over the years that the complaints have really centered around delays and canceled flights, challenges getting refunds or compensation and then lost or damaged bags."
Major airlines could cut back on flight schedules because they're anticipating lower sales.
However, Katz said that could impact people who do choose to fly with fewer flights, crowded cabins and airports and missed connections.
"Better scheduling," Katz suggested. "Recognizing which flights have a really bad on-time, arrival percent, and tackling those particular flights are things that I think airlines could do better."
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The report does list some ways to make sure travelers' voices are heard like the federal Department of Transportation focusing on accountability, and even having Congress allow state attorneys general to enforce consumer protection laws against airlines. Right now, they are protected from state enforcements.
The CoPirg Foundation found for the third year, Frontier had the most complaints per 100,000 passengers among the largest airlines. Southwest and Alaska had the fewest.
On May 28, though, Southwest will start charging for checked bags.
Katz also shared Denver International Airport (DIA) has a better on time arrival rate than the U.S. average, and July is their busiest month for arrivals at 28,400.
Denver7 took a look at passenger protections ahead of the busy summer travel period and it's important to remember if your flight has been canceled or significantly delayed for any reason, Katz said you're entitled to a refund.
"When it comes to rebooking, that one's a little more complicated. If the delay or cancellation happened due to the airline's own fault, then you have more rights to be rebooked," Katz said. "In fact, you can even go to them and say, you know, I found a similar flight on a different airline, and I want to be rebooked. Not have to buy a totally new ticket, but I want to be rebooked if it was the airline's fault."
If it's not the airline's fault, Katz said you have less rights to demand a rebooking.
"Of the 10 major airlines, if it's their fault, then all 10 have committed to rebooking you on their airline, it's just a matter of whether you can also get onto a different airline, because, you know, sometimes that was the last flight for that airline but there's one more that could get you out that evening," he said.
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