US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has warned US airlines they face new rules unless they give more help to passengers. He is pushing airlines to provide meals and accommodation to passengers stranded by flight cancelations and delays.

In a letter made public on Friday, Buttigieg urged the ten largest US airlines to do more, calling this summer's level of disruption "unacceptable." In the letter sent to the CEOs of major carriers, their regional affiliates and budget carriers, he says that US carriers canceled 3.2% and delayed 24% of domestic flights in the first six months of the year. He added an evocative line, "These aren't just numbers. These are missed birthday parties, graduations, time with loved ones and important meetings."

Buttigieg says its time to do much better

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is launching an online dashboard that will clearly state passenger rights when affected by delays and cancelations. The secretary said it would be on the DOT's website in time for the US Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest times for US air travel. Buttigieg wrote: "Americans expect when they purchase an airline ticket, they will arrive at their destination safely, reliably and affordably."

"When passengers do experience cancelations and delays, they deserve clear and transparent information on the services that your airline will provide, to address the expenses and inconvieniences resulting from these disruptions."

Anyone affected by airline disruptions in the last few years understands how difficult it can be to understand their compensation rights. Refunds, vouchers or credits, meals or no meals and hotels or sleep on the airport floor? These are the areas where DOT is contemplating new rules to make sure passengers are compensated quickly for disruptions. Buttigieg says airlines need to assess their customer service plans and asks that carriers, at a minimum, provide meal vouchers for delays of three hours or more and hotels for passengers who must wait overnight at an airport due to disruptions within the airline's control.

It's not all down to the airlines

Airlines for America, which represents major carriers, responded by saying it would continue to collaborate with the Transportation Department. Its statement read: "As our nation emerges from the pandemic, industries across the economy, as well as the federal government, are facing a range of challenges, including a tight labor market. We are all in this together, and US airlines are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to overcome these headwinds."

Driven by public uproar, US lawmakers have threatened hefty fines for airlines that don't offer better service to disrupted passengers. In response, airlines argue they have reduced flights, increased hiring and that ATC issues are a major cause of delays. Buttigieg's letter has attracted the expected criticism and cynicism, mainly because it makes scant reference to delays caused by ATC issues. Airlines for America quoted data that 63% of the cancelations for the first five months this year were caused by national airspace issues or weather. Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised that staffing issues could delay flights in the New York area by around two hours, affecting hundreds of flights at the three major airports.

DOT is already drafting new airline consumer rules, such as compensation for delayed bags, and Buttigieg said the department is weighing more new rules to expand the rights of airline passengers who experience disruption.