New Online Tool Helps You Know Your Rights When Flying

The U.S, Department of Transportation has created a new online Airline Customer Service Dashboard to help you know your rights when flying should you experience a flight delay or cancellation.The interactive dashboard, launched on 02 September 2022, compares each major domestic airlines’ customer service policies during flight interruptions caused by something within the carrier’s control and what you are owed. According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the intent is to pressure the major carriers to improve service by providing a tool for travelers to shop around and favor those airlines that offer the best compensation.

DOT Airline Customer Service Dashboard Shows Your Rights When Flying

A green check mark on the dashboard indicates the airline has committed to providing a service, while a red “x” means it has not. The Department of Transportation noted on the dashboard that airlines with a red “x” may “provide these services and amenities in some instances in their discretion.

The launch of the Dashboard follows a spike in complaints from travelers who have been dealing with unprecedented flight delays and cancellations. According to the Department’s Air Travel Consumer Travel Report, 28,550 complaints were filed in the first six months of 2022, up 27.8% from the 22,336 filed during the first six months of 2021 and more than the entire year of 2019.

How great of an impact the Department’s new Dashboard will have on carriers is yet to be seen, but since its announcement nine of the 10 major carriers guarantee meals and eight of the 10 hotel accommodations. Perhaps the most important use of this tool, however, is informing travelers of their rights when a flight delay or cancellation takes place.

Access the DOT’s new Airline Customer Service Dashboard here.