Looks like air travelers didn’t just sit there and take it this summer. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported this morning that for the month of July, it received 1,717 complaints from consumers about airline service. That’s more than twice the number of passenger gripes recorded a year ago, and nearly 60 percent more than the previous month. This could be a record.
It’s hard to see how these numbers could get any worse. Almost a third of all flights were late in July. Two percent of all scheduled domestic flights were canceled, up from 1.7 percent a year ago.
And how about lost luggage? Airlines posted a mishandled baggage rate of 7.93 reports per 1,000 passengers. That rivals the luggage-losing European airline industry.
If you want a play-by-play, have a look at the latest Air Travel Consumer Report. Read it if you dare.
Update: The number of complaints is at a five-year high, according to the <a href=”http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flznewcomplaints0905nbsep05,0,5191558.story”>South Florida Sun-Sentinel</a>.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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