America's major airlines not only failed to control rising delays and cancellations in 2000, they didn't do enough for the 160 million passengers inconvenienced by the sluggish system, a federal review issued Monday charged.

DELTA'S RATINGS

Here's how Delta Air Lines rated on main points of the Customer Service Commitment.   • Delays posted on monitors: 86 percent of time   • Lowest fare offered: 100 percent (fixed itinerary); 97 percent (flexible itinerary)   • Mishandled baggage returned within 24 hours: 66 percent   • Reservations held or cancelled within 24 hours without penalty: 98 percent   • Refunds given back within seven days: 100 percent (cash); 95 percent (credit)   • Complaints responded to within 60 days: 100 percent   Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General

        The report from U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Kenneth Mead calls for stronger action — but no new laws — to turn the service promises made by the carriers into reality.

        DOT's top watchdog acknowledges in the report that promises the airlines made in late 1999 have made some improvements in how customers are treated.

        Still, the report says that the 12 promises the airlines made in 1999 for the Customer Service Commitment — promises made in a successful effort to stop Con gress from enacting a national passengers' bill of rights — haven't been fulfilled enough.

        He recommended two alternatives:

        • Write the 12 points into the contract on tickets so they would be legally enforceable. (Only three of the 14 biggest carriers — Southwest, UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Alaska Air Group Inc.'s Alaska Airlines Inc. — have done so.)

        • Turn them into enforceable federal regulations.

        Mr. Mead will testify today about the report to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee along with Carol Hallett, president of the airlines' trade group, the Air Transport Association.

        Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., has said he plans to introduce legislation that would ensure that consumers get better information about chronically delayed flights, higher compensation if they are involuntarily bumped, and a clearer explanation about how they'll be treated if they are stranded overnight.

        Monday's report reviewed how well the major airlines — including Delta, which operates its second-largest hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport — stuck to the commitment between November 1999 and Jan. 17.

        It found that:

        • Flights were delayed 15 minutes or more 27.1 percent of the time during the review period.

        • The average delay increased to 52 minutes in 2000.

        • The on-screen monitors still read “on-time” for 21 percent of 550 delayed flights, even though those flights were more than 20 minutes late.

        • Baggage that did not show up with the passenger was delivered within 24 hours anywhere between 58 and 91 percent of the time, depending upon airline.

        • The provisions of the commitment do not address how to control delays and cancellations, the biggest beef of passengers.

        “We believe the airlines should go further and address steps they are taking on matters within their control to reduce overscheduling, the number of chronically late or canceled flights, and the amount of checked baggage that does not show up with the passenger upon arrival,” the report said.

        The report also reviewed how well each airline adhered to each part of the commitment, from offering the lowest fare available, to responding to complaints in a timely way.

        Delta rated well on most of the lists, and has incorporated many of the aspects of the commitment into the legal document included with every ticket (usually called the contract of carriage).

        Reaction to the report was mixed.

        “Voluntary commitments are only that — promises to do better,” U.S. Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat and author of the passengers' bill of rights, told the Associated Press. “This report makes clear that these promises are not enough and things are not getting better.”

        But the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and several airlines said delays and cancellations are due to inadequate air-traffic control systems and other infrastructure problems that the industry cannot control.

        “Before we worry about passenger rights, we need an aviation infrastructure bill of rights,” said Thomas Donohue, the Chamber president.

        Bloomberg News contributed to this report.
       

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