Peters Says Action, Fines Spurred Carriers To Do
Better
Airlines have taken steps to fix
chronically delayed flights, including changing flight routes,
adding flight crews and making additional aircraft available as the
result of a recent federal enforcement effort designed to reduce
the number of chronically delayed flights plaguing travelers, US
Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced Monday.
Most importantly, the Secretary said, the airlines involved in
the investigation have acted to end chronic delays for the flights
identified by the Department of Transportation as part of the
investigation.
“Tough scrutiny and a willingness to impose serious
penalties have caused the airlines to correct these chronically
delayed flights," Peters (right) said. “We will continue to
be vigilant, and we will maintain our strong enforcement of these
rules to help keep passengers from being treated
unfairly.”
As ANN reported, in May DOT
launched an investigation into 20 US airlines to determine whether
the carriers were engaging in unrealistic advertising practices by
publishing schedules for flights that almost never operate on
time.
The Department focused its investigation on chronically delayed
flights -- flights that were more than 15 minutes late, more than
70 percent of the time –- over the first three calendar
quarters of this year.
The Department identified 183 flights that were chronically
delayed during the first quarter, and in May advised the 15
airlines that operated those delayed flights that they needed to
take corrective action. In July, after the end of the second
quarter, the six airlines operating 25 flights that were
chronically delayed for two consecutive quarters were notified that
if they failed to address these flights by the following quarter,
they would face financial penalties of up to $25,000 per
violation.
According to Peters, none of the chronically delayed flights
from the first two quarters were chronically delayed in the third
quarter, based on September figures. In addition, the investigation
found that airlines are now monitoring chronically delayed flights
more closely, and are taking a number of steps to correct
chronically delayed flights.
The Secretary said the Department also issued a proposal earlier
this month to require airlines to create legally binding
contingency plans for extended tarmac delays, respond to all
consumer complaints within 30 days, publish complaint information
online, and provide on-time performance information for their
international flights in addition to their domestic flights.