DALLAS, Texas — In recent weeks, the airline industry has struggled with cancelations and delays as sudden weather events nationwide created a perfect storm with ongoing labor shortages.
As airlines continue to search for a balance, the U.S. Department of Transportation told the New York times Tuesday that a majority of its airline complaints are revolving around refunds and credits.
The paper reported Tuesday that "refund issues accounted for nearly 70% of all airline complaints to the Transportation Department."
That number is down from 75% in March and 88% in April of 2020, but still, it underscores the frustrations travelers are having as they navigate rebooking and the refund process.
Per the Times, "In April 2020, the Department of Transportation received over 17,000 complaints about inabilities to get refunds for flights, a more than a 17,000% increase from just 98 in the same month in 2019."
On Friday, DFW International Airport was the top airport in the world for cancelations and delays per FlightAware.
Glenn Scoggins and his girlfriend Alex Hill found themselves stuck in Dallas after their flight redirected due to inclement weather.
The Norfolk couple were hoping to land in Portland to visit family there for a vacation.
After getting redirected and held Thursday night, they told WFAA they couldn't get a new flight to Oregon until Monday.
"They just left us stranded there," Scoggins said. "It was ridiculous."
Scoggins said that he paid for trip insurance but struggled to navigate the claims process with American Airlines because the airline was so overwhelmed that day.
"I was on hold for three hours, and no one answered the phone," Hill said.
The couple spent Friday and Saturday in a Dallas hotel, then threw their plans out the window and caught a Southwest flight to Nashville Sunday.
They're now back in the Norfolk area as of Tuesday. Hill had to buy new clothes for a few days because her bags got sent to Portland.
"I was not anticipating to buy five days worth of clothes," said Hill.
The U.S. Transportation Department requires that airlines give a full refund within 7 days for a flight that they cancel.
That rule also applies for flights with a significant delay or schedule change or a ticket that a traveler cancels within 24 hours of purchase.
On American Airlines' website, the following is listed on the receipts and refunds page: "We have a lot of refund requests, so it’s taking longer than usual. If your ticket qualifies for a refund, you should hear from us within 7 days."
A spokesperson said Tuesday that "American Airlines offers customers the option to purchase trip insurance through a third-party vendor, Allianz Global Assistance. Customers with coverage or claims questions should contact Allianz directly."
Scoggins may have known that if he were able to get through to a customer service agent, however.
The fine print for refunds might be even harder to find or understand with online travel agencies.
Any problem with tickets purchased or vouchers issued via an online travel agency must be dealt with by that company, not the airline.
Not many understand that.
Expedia just announced that it's hiring 500 more customer service agents to help travelers with questions about rescheduling or refunds due to staff being overwhelmed.
If you're flying anytime soon, Scoggins has some advice.
"Have a secondary plan ready."