Biden To Speak On Plan That Would Require Airlines To Reimburse Passengers Hit By Major Delays
Cash reimbursements if you experience major airline delays? It may be on its way. I don’t speak a lot on politics. But I love it when something is brought up…
AUSTIN, TEXAS – APRIL 13: A passenger waits near a Delta Air lines terminal in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on April 13, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Delta Air Lines reported a $353 million loss for its first fiscal quarter.
(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)Cash reimbursements if you experience major airline delays? It may be on its way. I don't speak a lot on politics. But I love it when something is brought up that all sides can agree on. And this is one of those proposals. There aren't many things that are as frustrating as airline cancelations and delays. I was hit with flight issues last month, that cost me tickets to a show I'd had for months. Due to storms in the Charlotte area, my flight was delayed 4 times, at which case I switched my flight in hopes of making it back to the show. No sooner than I switched did that flight get pushed back. I ended up spending about 7 hours in the airport. And frankly, I was not happy about it. That same trip a friend didn't even make it to our destination as her flight was canceled and not rescheduled for over 24 hours later.
The Cost of Airline Delays
Not only are these delays and cancelations annoying and inconvenient they can be extremely costly as well. If you're lucky airlines might offer vouchers or credits for future flights. But that doesn't cover having to get a last-minute hotel (which they won't reimburse you for if it's weather-related), unused hotel nights, or the disappointment of missing out on a trip you were excited about. President Biden is set to speak this afternoon around 1:45pm about a plan that would require airlines to reimburse passengers hit by major delays or cancelations.
This has been in discussion for about a year and was brought to the forefront around the holidays when Southwest Airlines had a major meltdown, for lack of a better description. Sure you can purchase travel insurance. But with the already skyrocketing price of airline tickets, this pending legislation could be a major relief for travelers.
I'm looking forward to hearing more about this plan this afternoon. And I hope it is something that will be passed easily and quickly.
Charlotte Douglas Named One Of Top Performing Airports In The World
Charlotte we've got a good thing going here. Despite all of the negative publicity for air travel in the last few years and especially the last few weeks, Charlotte Douglas was named one of the top 10 performing airports in the world. Yes the world, not the country. That's huge! The list was compiled by Cirium.com who ranked the Most On-Time Airlines and Airports of 2022. According to their website, Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics to keep the world moving. They deliver insight, built from decades of experience in the sector, enabling travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines, and financial institutions, among others, to make logical and informed decisions that shape the future of travel, growing revenues and enhancing customer experiences.
The airlines and airports were ranked based on the most on-time flights based on a percentage of the total flights. The top airlines in the US were Delta, United, Alaska Airlines, and American Airlines in that order. Despite their massive PR issue during the holidays, Southwest was 5th on the list. This data was released on January 3, 2023. Interestingly, of the top 10 airports in the world, CLT was one of 6 from the US. Keep reading to see where Charlotte Douglas ranked amongst the top airports globally. Additionally, you can read the full Cirium study here.
1. (HND) Haneda Aiport
Location: Tokyo, Japan
On-time Departure: 90.33%
Total Flights: 373,264
2. (BLR) Kempegowda International Airport
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka 560300, India
On-time Departure: 84.08%
Total Flights: 201,897
3. (SLC) Salt Lake City International Airport
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
On-time Departure: 83.87%
Total Flights: 226,545
4. (DTW) Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Location: Detroit, MI
On-time Departure: 82.62%
Total Flights: 271,963
5. (PHL) Philadelphia International Airport
Location: Philadelphia, PA
On-time Departure: 82.54%
Total Flights: 233,777
6. (MSP) Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Location: Minneapolis, MN
On-time Departure: 81.95%
Total Flights: 276,346
7. (DEL) Indira Gandhi International Airport
Location: New Delhi, Delhi , India
On-time Departure: 81.81%
Total Flights: 411,205
8. (SEA) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Location: Seattle, WA
On-time Departure: 81.04%
Total Flights: 273,721
9. (BOG) El Dorado International Airport
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
On-time Departure: 80.72%
Total Flights: 273,721
10. (CLT) Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Location: Charlotte, NC
On-time Departure: 80.68%
Total Flights: 457,871
