2023 was a good year for travelers - U.S. Department of Transportation
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 2023 saw the lowest flight cancellation rate in a decade. Of the 16.3 million flights scheduled last year, only 1.2% were canceled. This is significantly less compared to 2022, when 2.3% of flights were canceled. This is the second highest figure in the last decade.
"Thanks to the tireless work of our aviation safety professionals, millions of travelers were able to take safe and uninterrupted flights last year ," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "We are pleased to see such a low cancellation rate in 10 years, and our department will continue to do everything we can to ensure that air travel is smooth and safe for passengers in the new year."
The Ministry of Transport has also expanded airline passenger protections after Minister Buttigieg put pressure on airlines to improve customer service and launched an easy-to-use airline service dashboard with new commitments. Now all 10 major airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodation if the flight is canceled or delayed because of the airline.