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Summary

On November 21, we issued a final report on our Follow-up Review: Performance of U.S. Airlines in Implementing Selected Provisions of the Airline Customer Service Commitment. This audit was requested by the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation. We found that the airlines need to: (1) resume efforts to self audit their customer service plans; (2) emphasize to their customer service employees the importance of providing timely and adequate flight information; (3) focus on the training for personnel who assist passengers with disabilities; (4) provide straightforward, comprehensive reporting on frequent flyer award redemptions; and (5) improve the handling of bumped passengers. We also found that the Department's Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings (OAEP) enforces air travel consumer protection rules. However, it needs to improve its oversight of air traveler consumer protection requirements. We are making a series of recommendations to the Department to strengthen its oversight and enforcement of air traveler consumer protection rules. One such recommendation is that DOT develop strategies to more effectively monitor air carrier compliance with Federal requirements governing air travel consumer protection rules and to verify air carrier compliance with the terms and conditions of consent orders.