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Air Travel Complaints

Obtaining Assistance to Resolve Air Travel  Complaints

Air Travelers Have Rights.

Federal laws protect airline passengers by specifying airlines’ obligations, including when a flight is oversold, luggage is mishandled, a flight is delayed on the tarmac, and refunds are requested.  Federal laws also prohibit airlines from discriminating against an air traveler on the basis of his or her disability, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry.

DOT’s aviation consumer protection website provides information on key topics of interest to air travelers organized by topic.  For additional convenience, DOT maintains a “Fly Rights” guide, as an easy to use reference for air travelers.  

Air Travel Issues.

Airline Safety: For information on reporting an airline safety issue such as airworthiness of aircraft, certification of pilots, and operation of air traffic control visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s Hotline webpage here. 

Aviation Security: For concerns about aviation security call the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) toll-free at 1-866-289-9673 or email TSA.  For additional information, visit the TSA website.

Non-safety or security air service related issues:

For the fastest resolution of many air service-related issues, contact an Airline or Ticket Agents’ Customer Service Representative.  You may also file a complaint with DOT if the issue could not be resolved to your satisfaction. Passengers can quickly and easily file complaints with the DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection through its online complaint form at https://secure.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint.   

For more information about the complaint process, please see: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/complaint-process.

Disability-Related Air Travel Issues.

If you encounter a disability-related issue about an airline accommodation or service, ask to speak to the airline’s Complaint Resolution Official (CRO).  A CRO is the airline’s expert in disability related issues in air travel and has the authority to resolve complaints on behalf of the airline.

Air travelers who experience disability-related problems may also call DOT’s toll-free hotline for air travelers with disabilities 1-800-778-4838* to obtain assistance.  The hotline will provide general information about the rights of air travelers with disabilities, respond to requests for printed consumer information, and assist air travelers with disabilities with time-sensitive disability-related issues.  The hours for the hotline are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

Air travelers who believe their rights have been violated or are unable to resolve an issue to their satisfaction may file complaints with the airline, ticket agent and/or DOT.

Filing a complaint with an airline or a ticket agent.

  • DOT requires airlines to acknowledge consumer complaints within 30 days of receiving them and to send consumers written responses addressing these complaints within 60 days of receiving them (30 days for disability-related complaints).
  • DOT also asks that ticket agents respond to consumer who file complaints with them.
  • DOT requires airlines that fly to, from, or within the United States to state on their websites how and where complaints can be submitted.  There may be a form on the airline’s website for this purpose.  Often, you may also email or write to the airline or ticket agent’s consumer office at its headquarters.

Filing a complaint or comment with DOT.

  • Use this online form to send a complaint or comment to DOT about an air travel consumer or civil rights (including disability) related issue or experience.
  • You may send DOT correspondence by mail at the address below.

Office of Aviation Consumer Protection 
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC  20590

In your letter, please provide the following information when submitting a complaint against an airline or ticket agent: 

  • your full name and contact information such as physical address, email address, and telephone number,
  • a description of the air travel problem you had or are having,
  • your booking details (ticket/itinerary/invoice),
  • flight details (dates/flight numbers/city pairs), and
  • any supporting documentation such as a copy of the complaint you filed with the airline or ticket agent if available. 

Private legal action. You may be able to seek recourse through small claims court.  Click here for more information. 

Overview of DOT’s Complaint Handling Process 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) handles complaints about airline service. 

When a consumer submits an air travel service complaint to DOT against an airline or a travel agency, OACP ensures that the appropriate entity receives the complaint and directs it to respond directly to the consumer with a copy to OACP. 

Complaints from consumers are helpful to track trends or spot areas of concern that warrant further action. We use our complaint files to document the need for changes in DOT's consumer protection regulations and, where warranted, as the basis for enforcement action (i.e., where a serious breach of the law has occurred). 

Further, every month, DOT publishes its Air Travel Consumer Report, which contains information about the number of complaints the Department receives about each airline and travel agency and what problems people are having. This report is made available to the public so that consumers can compare the complaint records of individual airlines and travel agencies. The data in this report also serve as a basis for rulemaking, legislation, and research. 

Civil Rights Complaint Process

  • Federal laws prohibit airlines from discriminating against an air traveler because of his or her disability, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry.
  • OACP will direct airlines receiving discrimination complaints to respond directly to the complainants and provide a copy of the response to OACP. 
  • OACP will investigate every complaint that it receives alleging discrimination based on a protected ground and will provide its findings to the consumer at the conclusion of the investigation. 
  • Due to the volume of complaints received, and the thoroughness of this process, it may take some time to fully investigate your complaint.

Consumer Complaints Process

  • Federal laws protect airline passengers in a variety of areas, including when a flight is oversold, luggage is mishandled, a flight is delayed on the tarmac, and refunds are due. 
  • OACP will direct the identified airline and/or ticket agent to respond directly to you regarding your complaint. OACP will also require that a copy of the response be provided to it. 
  • OACP does not investigate every consumer complaint received due to the volume of complaints received. 
  • OACP conducts targeted or sample reviews of consumer complaints to determine airlines’ and travel agencies’ compliance with aviation consumer protection requirements. 

Last updated: Thursday, August 8, 2024