If you had a bad experience flying this summer, know that you weren’t alone.
More than 5,800 complaints about airlines were filed last June—an increase of nearly 270% compared to the same month in 2019, according to new data from the Department of Transportation (DOT). As analysts predicted, airlines faced staffing shortages, weather issues, and pent-up demand for getaway vacations, which led to a surge in cancellations and delays.
Some help is on the way. On Wednesday, several major U.S. airlines—including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines—updated their customer service agreements by committing to pay for travelers’ meals and hotel accommodations if they delayed or canceled flights due t…