DOT makes it easier to file complaints about airlines

Airline travelers who want to complain to the government may find it easier to file their gripe, perhaps even while they’re still on the plane.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched the redesigned http://airconsumer.dot.gov which has a direct link to the agency’s web form for filing complaints about service, safety and security or disability and discrimination. With more airlines offering in-flight wi-fi service, that means you may be able to tell the government all about that long wait on the tarmac, or how cramped the seats are, while you’re still sitting in that cramped seat. The DOT’s monthly consumer complaint data is often thought to undercount how many passengers have complaints about airlines, in part because many travelers may not know that they can file complaints with the federal government, may not consider it after a flight or may not think it will yield results. The DOT’s aviation consumer website also includes a link to the agency’s monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, a lengthy document that includes data on flight delays, mishandled baggage, bumped passengers, consumer complaints and animal injuries and deaths. Other features are travel tips and a list of contact information for each airline’s customer relations manager.