US DOT data shows a 26% rise in passenger discrimination complaints in 2023.
- Some US-based carriers, including American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, faced scrutiny over certain incidents.
- Airlines commit to improving the culture and handling of situations involving passenger accessibility.
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has published data regarding consumer submissions, including complaints, inquiries, and opinions related to air travel for the entire calendar year 2023. This submission found that passenger discrimination cases rose by 26% year-on-year.
223 discrimination-related complaints
The US DOT data indicates a rise in complaints related to discrimination. In 2023, the Department of Transportation received 223 discrimination-related complaints, compared to 176 in 2022.
This increase can be partly attributed to the record-high number of air travel submissions in 2023, second only to 2020.
In 2023, the DOT received 96,853 submissions, compared to 86,240 in calendar year 2022. Additionally, several high-profile discrimination cases on US aircraft have made headlines this year.
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