While the number of people who flew last year on U.S. airlines is below pre-pandemic levels, the number of complaints relating to air travel nearly quadrupled since 2019. A new report from the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund analyzed data released by the Department of Transportation and found passengers are fed up with airlines' performance.

Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog with AZ PIRG, said statistics tell her the "airline industry is a mess" and point to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the reason airlines are struggling with performance.

"It is understandable that the airlines were a little taken aback by how quickly people wanted to get going again after being cooped up for, like, a year," she said. "You would think it would take them a little while to get back in gear, but starting from the middle of '21 through December of '22, that's a year and a half and they still don't have it in gear."

Murray added for the first time in 25 years, statistics released from the DOT did not include complaint data for last December. Following the airline travel snarls of Christmas week, there were too many complaints to tally before the year-end report's deadline, she said.

Murray cited three big challenges impacting the airline industry, but said two of them can be controlled, and airlines should do a better job of refunding customers' money when flights are cancelled.

She added staffing issues are another factor, admitting that while it is not an overnight fix, it is something that needs to be addressed. Some airlines are considering creating their own training programs and flight schools, she said, while adding scheduling problems are the biggest issue of all.

"The airlines know doggone well that the schedules that they're putting up on the board are not realistic and they know they're going to pull some of them down," Murry said. "They just need to put together a realistic schedule, and then that way if you only have four flights to choose from, it's like, 'OK, I need to make sure that I fit my schedule into one of those four times.' "

The report found airlines canceled more than 190,000 flights last year, almost 3% of all scheduled trips, but that figure only includes flights canceled seven days before the planned departure date, Murray said. Flights cancelled more than a week ahead of time are considered "discontinued" and do not count against air carriers' efficiency ratings.

Air travelers could face fewer obstacles in securing a refund if their flight is canceled or changed under new federal rules announced Wednesday.

The moves are being praised by watchdog groups. The Department of Transportation said airlines are now required to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when they are owed one.

Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said some carriers have not adhered to standards, leaving passengers in a bind.

"They would drag their feet, and they would say, 'Well, you bought your ticket from a ticket agent, so we don't know where your money is. Or, here, have a voucher,'" Murray explained.

Amid higher complaint volumes, companies will be forced to act quickly. The new rules, which are being phased in, provide clearer definitions for travel disruptions, including delays of at least three hours on a domestic flight and six hours on international flights. A key industry group responded to the announcement by touting transparency efforts among carriers.

Murray acknowledged most people are not frequent flyers, and it is hard for them to keep up on all the least practices and policies among airlines.

"The average person only flies once every 18 months," Murray pointed out. "This will just bring transparency to that process and it kind of evens the playing field."

Murray added it could come in handy for Midwestern customers when a winter storm wreaks havoc on air travel. The new rules also require refunds for baggage fees when a piece of luggage is delayed by 12 hours or more for domestic flights. And there must be upfront disclosure on fees for first and second checked bags and carry-on bags.


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Wisconsin lawmakers recently debated reforms for payday loans. Efforts to protect consumers come amid new research about financial pain associated with cash advances offered through smartphone apps. The Center for Responsible Lending is out with findings that detail how "earned wage advances" from digital platforms come with extra costs disguised as things like tips. Traditional payday lenders are often criticized for charging excessive interest rates on loans that are usually around $500.

Lucia Constantine, a researcher with the Center for Responsible Lending, said customers are usually seeking smaller amounts from the apps, but she warns they can be just as costly.

"They are trapping consumers in a cycle of borrowing that is similar to that of a payday loan, " she said.

The report said after using these financial products, customers are seeing overdrafts on their checking accounts increase by 56% on average. Industry leaders deny they're barraging consumers with hidden fees, stressing that features such as suggested tips are optional. More broadly, a bipartisan payday loan reform bill in the Wisconsin Legislature failed to advance this month.

Constantine said like longstanding payday lenders, these cash advance apps can be hard to regulate. Meanwhile, she urged those in a bind to explore other options.

"[They should] try talking to their friends and family as a first source. The other option which I would recommend is reaching out to their credit union or banking institution to see if they can get some sort of small-dollar loan," she said.

She noted places such as credit unions typically provide more transparency on loan costs. According to the report, three-quarters of consumers took out at least one advance on the same day or day after a re-payment was posted.


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Food prices remain high, in Montana and across the country.

A new report by the Federal Trade Commission says the country's largest grocery companies are gouging consumers, by keeping prices artificially high.

Many grocers, retailers and wholesalers have consolidated to cut costs. Grocers continue to blame supply chain problems, even though regulators have said most of those issues have been resolved.

President of the advocacy group Farm Action, Angela Huffman, said retailers were doing more than making up for lost revenue during the pandemic-era supply chain disruptions - and the FTC report says they continue to do so.

"In 2021, the retailer revenues, they rose to more than 6% higher than their total costs, and that those profits are still going up," said Huffman. "So, in the first nine months of 2023, the profits increased to 7%."

At nearly 6.5%, Montana had the nation's ninth-highest grocery price increase in 2023.

The FTC data show Amazon, Kroger and WalMart each gained market share during and after the pandemic - while profits continued to rise.

Other large retailers and wholesalers have consolidated, which they say gives them more buying power and the ability to pass those savings on to customers.

Huffman said that isn't what's happening, and calls on regulators to fine the grocers, or more.

"This would be kind of the farthest extent of what they could do, but go so far as breaking them up," said Huffman. "In years past, they broke up the telephone companies and the railroads and, you know, that would be the ideal outcome for us, is to take away their excessive power."

Huffman also points to a 150% increase in egg prices in 2023, which producers blamed on the avian flu. The FTC says the disease did not justify the drastic price hike.