U.S. Department of Transportation: complain about an airline or ticket agent
The Department's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection takes complaints, comments and compliments about air travel through an online form, or by letter, when an airline or travel agency has not solved the problem. It sends your complaint to the airline or ticket agent and directs it to answer you directly, with a copy to the Department.
Good to know
Go to the airline or travel agency first: the Department says airline customer service staff at the airport may be able to arrange meals and hotel rooms for stranded passengers, and that you should give the airline a chance to resolve the problem before you contact the Department. Except for civil rights complaints, the Department does not investigate every complaint: it does targeted or sample reviews. For disability and discrimination complaints, it forwards the complaint to the airline, reviews the airline's response and mails you its findings. It does not handle aviation safety or security complaints (the FAA takes safety reports; for security call the TSA on 1-866-289-9673). By letter: Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590. The Department encourages you to complain to the airline first, and says it is often best to email or write to the airline's consumer office at its corporate headquarters: DOT requires airlines to acknowledge a complaint within 30 days of receiving it and to answer it in writing within 60 days.
Before you call
Have ready
- your booking details (ticket, itinerary or invoice), your flight details (dates, flight numbers and cities), and any supporting papers, such as a copy of the complaint you already sent the airline or ticket agent. The form cannot be saved and finished later, so have these ready before you start
They can
- take your complaint through the online form or by letter, and make sure the airline or travel agency receives it
- direct the airline or ticket agent to answer you directly, with a copy to the Department
They cannot
- investigate every complaint: except for civil rights complaints, it does targeted or sample reviews of complaints
- handle aviation safety or security complaints
- replace the airline: the form page says to file with the Department when the airline or travel agency is not able to resolve the problem, and encourages you to contact them first
In the emergency guides: I'm stranded away from home →
- Website
- https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint
- Languages
- English
- Last checked
- October 10, 2026
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