Air travel system is 'very brittle,' Buttigieg says. DOT wants to hear traveler complaints

Air traffic disruptions have plagued summer travelers, and this past weekend was no exception. Friday was the worst day for cancellations since mid-June, with 1,613 US flights canceled, according to data from flight tracking site FlightAware. And cancellations kept stacking up over the weekend. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is not happy with the continued air travel chaos and is calling on travelers to share their experiences. While Buttigieg acknowledged that severe weather this weekend disrupted air travel, "it shouldn't have created the kind of ripple effects through the system that it did. "That is something that to me is an indication that we still have not seen the improvements that we need, that the system is very brittle," Buttigieg said Wednesday. He said the "human factor" is the biggest contributor to snarled air traffic. "Not having enough crew, especially pilots, to do the job. And airlines, of course, have an obligation to service the tickets that they sell," Buttigieg said. Buttigieg met with airlines before July 4, calling for more realistic schedules, more pilot training and more responsive customer service. He said the meeting also addressed how the FAA could help ease disruptions. Airlines have been preemptively trimming their schedules to ease disruptions. American Airlines announced cuts to September and October flights last week. The DOT last week proposed a rule that would expand protections for travelers seeking refunds, and the Secretary invited the public to weigh in on the rule and to file complaints when airlines aren't responsive. The proposed rule would more clearly define cases where flights are significantly changed or canceled to provide a clearer path to refunds in addition to creating more pandemic-related consumer protection.<br/>