Survey Says 6 Out Of 10 Summer Travelers Had Flight Delayed Or Canceled, Most Lost Money

This summer was not a good one for travel by plane. Not in Canada and certainly not in the U.S. This summer was poised to be a season of “revenge travel.” But spiking demand, understaffed airlines and severe storms flipped the script on many folks who were determined to travel like it was 2019.

A recent survey revealed that 61% of respondents experienced flight delays or cancellations this summer. And 83% lost money as a result of travel issues.

More than half of respondents (59%) lost $500 or less, and others were less fortunate:

• Nearly one in four travelers (24%) lost more than $500.
• 14% reported losing more than $1,000.

Overall, summer travelers lost an average of $838 U.S. which is more than double the national average cost of a domestic flight, based on data from the United States Department of Transportation.

Losses due to flight cancellations and delays often extend well beyond the airport, as travelers miss out on pre-paid hotel rooms, cruises and other activities. Airport parking, transportation and dog kenneling expenses also led to losses, according to survey respondents.

In Canada there were 7,000 complaints filed against airlines for cancellations and disruptions since May. There’s a backlog of 18,000 air passenger grievances on all topics combined. And its not likely to get sorted soon, because the airlines are fighting it. WestJet has launched a legal battle, seeking to appeal a Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) ruling that ordered the airline to compensate a passenger $1,000 for a flight disruption caused by a crew shortage.

In a motion filed in the Federal Court of Appeal on Aug. 10, WestJet argues that the CTA’s ruling was flawed, because it was based on a misinterpretation of Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR). The court has yet to decide if WestJet can proceed with its appeal.

It might be frustrating having your trip disrupted by an airline who can’t keep their schedule. It can be costly as well. But the best thing that passengers can do is to file complaints with the CTA.

In the U.S. they are considering changing the law so any delay of 3 hours gets the passenger reimbursed. No word what the Federal Government in Canada thinks of all this.

Sources: https://bit.ly/3CmAJda & https://bit.ly/3AlAU60