FACT SHEET ON USDOT & FAA WORK TO IMPROVE HOLIDAY AIR TRAVEL AND STRENGTHEN PASSENGER RIGHTS

FAA Makes Vacation Air Journey Extra Environment friendly:

• In Could, FAA introduced 169 new routes alongside the East Coast which are extra direct, will save passenger time, airline gasoline, and can enhance security. Learn extra here.
• To reduce inland quantity and cut back delays throughout vacation journey, the FAA will use restricted airspace off the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico that the army releases to the FAA for industrial planes to make use of.
• The FAA has coordinated with the industrial house trade to verify no launches are scheduled within the busiest instances surrounding Thanksgiving.
• When there may be climate or airspace congestion, and barring any security considerations, the FAA minimizes delays for vacationers by permitting industrial passenger plane that scheduled flight departures effectively prematurely to take off first, whereas non-public enterprise jets that usually schedule late should wait.

Flight Cancellation Charges Down:

• Throughout the Nationwide Airspace System, 2023 has had the bottom cancellation charges in 5 years—even decrease than earlier than the pandemic.
• The share of scheduled flights cancelled is presently at 1.3% for 2023 throughout the Nationwide Airspace System. That’s down a whole level from 2.3% in 2022.

Shopper Rights Up:

Below the Biden-Harris Administration, the Division of Transportation has returned a file quantity of refunds to vacationers, issued the biggest fines towards airways for failing passengers, and superior the most important growth of airline shopper rights in many years.

• Since 2020, the Division of Transportation’s Workplace of Aviation Shopper Safety has helped return a file quantity of greater than $2.5 billion in refunds to vacationers.
• Below Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued the best quantity in fines ever towards airways for failing to refund customers promptly and for unlawfully keeping passengers on the tarmac for hours. The fines are partly for compensation to the passengers who had been wronged.
• Final yr, Secretary Buttigieg pressured airline CEOs to enhance their customer support. Airways responded.
  • Earlier than the Secretary’s involvement, not one of the 10 largest U.S. airways assured meals, accommodations, or floor transportation to and from the resort, and just one assured free rebooking when the airline was at fault for a delay or cancellation.
  • Now, all 10 airways assure free rebooking and meals, and 9 assure resort lodging when an airline subject causes a delay or cancellation.
  • To make sure passengers know what they’re entitled to obtain if their flight is delayed or cancelled, DOT launched flightrights.gov, an easy-to-use dashboard with the airways’ commitments.

• Final yr, Secretary Buttigieg introduced the primary ever Bill of Rights for passengers with disabilities.
  • In July, the Division of Transportation introduced a new rule that requires new single-aisle aircrafts to have bathrooms which are accessible for individuals with disabilities.
  • DOT has completed drafting a rulemaking to handle vital limitations and challenges skilled by passengers who use wheelchairs. This rulemaking is anticipated to be issued quickly.
• The Division of Transportation is presently pursuing guidelines that may:
  • Make passenger compensation and facilities necessary in order that vacationers are taken care of when airways trigger flight delays or cancellations, akin to staffing points or mechanical issues.
  • Assure refunds for passengers for providers they paid for that aren’t really supplied, akin to damaged Wi-Fi.
  • Guarantee price transparency so customers know the true value of their flights akin to baggage charges earlier than they purchase a ticket and may make knowledgeable choices and lower your expenses. Airways and journey search web sites can be required to reveal charges for altering or cancelling your flight and for checked or carry-on baggage upfront, relatively than stunning prospects at checkout.
  • Guarantee price free household seating to make it simpler for folks to keep away from junk charges to take a seat with their youngsters after they fly. Earlier this yr, President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airways to decide to fee-free household seating. Earlier than their urging, no airline dedicated to guaranteeing fee-free household seating. Now, 4 airways guarantee fee-free household seating, and the Division is engaged on rulemaking to ensure it throughout airways.

Higher, Safer, Airports Due to Infrastructure Bundle:

• President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation contains unprecedented funding— $25 billion over 5 years– to enhance, restore, and broaden airports throughout America.
  • That features $2 billion from the brand new Airport Terminal Grant program awarded to 190 airport terminal initiatives. These investments will enhance safety checkpoints, improve baggage methods, widen concourses, add gates, and way more. See an interactive map with grant places here.
  • In October, the FAA awarded $57.6 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation to assist airports function in winter situations with snowplows and de-icing gear. Learn extra here.
  • Since 2021, the FAA has made $9 billion out there from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation for airports to spend money on core security initiatives in addition to runways, taxiways, and different essential infrastructure initiatives. Learn extra here.

Air Site visitors Controller Hiring:

• To fight a long-standing air visitors controller shortfall, FAA is shifting full-speed forward to rent and prepare new workers. FAA hit its hiring goal of 1,500 hires this yr, with a objective of 1,800 subsequent yr.
• As well as, the FAA announced a sequence of rapid steps to ramp up hiring and coaching, together with:
  • Offering extra help to high schools and universities within the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program. The FAA will work with AT-CTI applications to make sure that graduates from these applications have the required abilities to start on-the-job coaching at a facility. These graduates nonetheless should go the Air Site visitors Abilities Evaluation (ATSA) examination and meet medical and safety necessities. Beforehand, these graduates had been required to attend the FAA Air Site visitors Controller Academy previous to being assigned to a facility.
  • Asserting a year-round hiring observe for skilled controllers from the army and personal trade.
  • Persevering with to fill each seat on the FAA Academy and enhance our classroom capability past present limits.
  • Increasing the usage of superior coaching throughout the nation. The company has new amenities in Chicago and San Diego, and might be including them in Nashua and Phoenix within the spring.
  • Ending deploying tower simulator coaching methods in 95 amenities by December 2025. The FAA will deploy the primary system in Austin by January 2024.