The U.S. Department of Transportation this week fined Delta Air Lines $115,000 for failing to heed passenger requests for on-time arrival data. Delta is the third carrier this year to be hit with such a penalty, following similar fines levied last month against JetBlue Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.
DOT Enforcement Office personnel in an investigation beginning last year posed as travelers requesting on-time data from carriers and found, "Delta failed to provide the requested on-time performance information to callers during a substantial number of those calls."
Delta attributed the failures in part to software problems that impacted Delta Connection flights, which it said have since been fixed. Delta in government filings also said it is reinforcing on-time disclosure requirements to reservations agents through further training and posted materials.
The government this year has put airline on-time performances and delay disclosures under the lens, following several high-profile incidents. President Bush last week outlined proposals to curb airline delays and offer further protections to passengers, including new requirements for providing on-time performance data
(BTNonline, Nov. 15).
At the behest of the White House, DOT last week issued proposed rulemaking that would require carriers to provide DOT with new data elements to measure cancellations, diversions and delays that occur on the tarmac. DOT said no standard exists for how carriers report such figures and "currently, the Department cannot calculate tarmac delays for canceled or diverted flights."
"An important part of our effort to minimize the impact of flight delays on consumers is making sure they have the best available information about delays," Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said yesterday in a statement. "As we take new steps to reduce delays and improve air travel for passengers, we will make sure airlines comply with existing consumer rules."__