CT travelers have complained about these companies, airlines the most

In the past few years, Connecticut residents have demonstrated their willingness to travel again, after the drop-off in activity at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the trips have not gone smoothly for everyone. 

Getting reimbursed for flights that are canceled, delayed, or redirected persists as a significant challenge for many travelers, as highlighted by state data on consumer complaints obtained by CT Insider. State and federal officials said that they are committed to holding airlines and other travel companies accountable for unsatisfactory customer service, with their efforts including new regulations and a partnership between the Connecticut attorney general’s office and the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

“This is an industry that I think at times feels like it’s untouchable. And we’re tired of it,” state Attorney General William Tong said in an interview last week. “All of us who travel with some frequency have had an experience of having had a flight canceled, or a missed connection through no fault of our own, or a long delay. The airlines need to do better.” 

Between May 2022 and May 2024, a total of about 220 complaints about airlines, travel agencies and travel insurers were submitted to the state attorney general’s office, according to the data reviewed by CT Insider. 

Online travel agency Priceline, whose parent company is Norwalk-based Booking Holdings, was the subject of 36 complaints, the most for any business that was referenced in the complaints.  

Among the complaints about Priceline, one that was filed in February 2023 chronicled the person’s difficulty in receiving travel credits that they said they should have received for a canceled reservation. (To protect the complainants’ privacy, the attorney general’s office did not provide their names or other identifying information.) 

A message left for Booking was not returned.

Avelo Airlines, which has been the sole carrier operating at Tweed New Haven Airport since November 2021, was the subject of 22 complaints — second overall and most among airlines.

Among the complaints about Avelo, one person said that a flight they took on New Year’s Eve in 2022 from Orlando, Florida to Tweed was diverted to Bradley because of fog at Tweed.

“During this experience, the crew was exceptional even though Avelo Corporate communicated with us minimally,” the person said. “Avelo did not offer transportation to New Haven. We had to Uber which was very difficult on New Year’s Eve in Hartford. I have since emailed Avelo three times and called three times about compensation for my travel fees… I sat on hold for two hours only to be dropped once someone answered me. I am asking for compensation for $143.93 to cover our Uber and additional parking fees. Avelo has apparently refunded other passengers for their travel, but I have yet to receive a response.” 

A spokesperson for Avelo confirmed receiving an inquiry from CT Insider about the complaints, but was not able to immediately provide an on-the-record response.

American Airlines was the subject of the third-most complaints, with 20. There were 18 complaints about JetBlue and 13 about Breeze Airways. One Breeze passenger summarized a family trip in April 2024 that they said involved having their outbound flight changed from Bradley to an airport in Rhode Island the night before the flight. Then, their return flight to Rhode Island was canceled, they said. 

“I had to fly into Hartford and rent a car and drive a total of four hours there and back to pick up my car (at the airport in Rhode Island),” said the person, whose reference to Hartford is another name that some people use for Bradley because of its proximity to the city. “I also had to pay an additional night at a hotel. I contacted Breeze twice. (I) provided all the documentation they requested. Both times they agreed to give me $100 per person, for a total of $500. They never sent me a check as promised.”

Breeze has approximately 20 nonstop routes that go to and from Bradley, making it the airline with the most routes serving Connecticut’s flagship airport. 

In a written statement, Breeze said that it does not have any change or cancellation fees on reservations known as “bundles” up to an hour before departures. It also said that beyond seven days from scheduled departures, all reservations can be canceled within 24 hours of booking for a refund to the original form of payment.

“While our goal is never to modify or cancel reservations/flights, sometimes it is necessary to do so because of matters that are out of our control — like inclement weather,” the statement said. “In these instances, we notify the booker on the reservation as soon as possible about opportunities for a refund or re-accommodation. When Breeze cancels a flight because of a matter within our control, we give the same refund and re-accommodation offers. Plus, we review and, when applicable, offer reimbursement options as well as flight credits.”

The statement added that guests who have questions or concerns can reach out to Breeze’s Guest Empowerment Team by email, Facebook Messenger or text message.

A spokesperson for American Airlines responded by providing a link to a section of the company’s website that pertains to delays, cancellations and refunds. A message left for JetBlue was not returned. 

Among other companies, nine complaints were submitted about Vantage Travel, a Boston-based company that filed for bankruptcy last year. Eight complaints were submitted about Delta Air Lines, followed by seven about Spirit Airlines, four each about Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, and two each about Aer Lingus, Iberia Airlines and Lufthansa. 

About 50 companies were the subject of one complaint each, while some complaints criticized the travel industry as a whole.

When complaints about companies from various industries are reported to government officials, companies often respond that they are concerned about the complaints but note that those cases comprise a small percentage of their customers. Tong is not moved by that argument.

“It does nothing for the Connecticut traveler who has been impacted,” Tong said. “I don’t care about stats. I care about people in this state. If it’s 1 percent or 10 percent of a big number, that’s a lot of people.”

In response to the complaints filed in the past two years, the state attorney general’s office (AGO) has helped recover a total of about $10,635 related to about a dozen of the cases, according to the data reviewed by CT Insider. 

Among new initiatives, the state attorney general’s office announced last April a partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) that aims to strengthen and streamline how they work together to review consumer complaints and identify violations of consumer protection requirements related to federal aviation.

A memorandum of understanding between the USDOT and the AGO calls for the latter to work with consumers and companies to resolve complaints, and if necessary, to refer complaints to the USDOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP). The OACP will prioritize their review, include AGO staff on letters of inquiry to those companies based on those referrals and consult with the AGO before deciding on next steps.

In addition, the USDOT will provide technical assistance and training to AGO staff. Related, USDOT officials will meet at least once a year with AGO staff to assess ongoing efforts and update them on any actions taken in response to state-referred complaints.

“In the past, when we’ve called the airlines, sometimes we’ll get some satisfaction and help for travelers here in Connecticut,” Tong said. “But often they’ll say, ‘Sorry, this is a federal matter, go mind your own business.’ They can’t say that to us anymore because now we have the authority of the USDOT, and we can leverage that authority.” 

Also last April, the USDOT issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed for cancellations or other significant changes in flights; delays with checked bags; or failure to provide extra services that were purchased.

Among Congressional efforts, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, introduced last year legislation that would establish a “bill of rights” for passengers. Some of those rights would protect passengers from being required to involuntarily relinquish their seats, unless necessary for safety or security; provide compensation for delayed or canceled flights; and eliminate dollar limits on compensation for boardings denied due to overbooking.

Among other components of the bill, it would mandate a Federal Aviation Administration prohibition on any carrier reducing seat size or leg room. It would also require the FAA to report on the quality of food and potable water on passenger aircraft and the “sufficiency” of flight crews and aircraft. In addition, it would increase civil penalties on carriers that violate passenger protections.

“It would focus on consumer protection and quality of experience, and provide passengers with real enforceable rights,” Blumenthal said in an interview last week. “We’ve received hundreds of complaints over the past two years. We can’t rely on (airlines’) generosity of spirit. We need to impose rules and provide real remedies.”