美国国家公共电台 NPR--Flight delays and poor customer service are at unacceptable levels, Buttigieg says

Flight delays and poor customer service are at unacceptable levels, Buttigieg says

Transcript¹

With millions of Americans preparing to fly over the upcoming Labor² Day holiday weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is urging airlines to step up their game so travelers aren't stranded³.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

If you've tried flying anywhere this summer, there's a fair chance your flight was delayed or even canceled. And with the busy Labor Day weekend coming up, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is warning the airlines that they're going to face consequences if they can't improve operations and customer service. NPR's transportation correspondent David Schaper sat down with Buttigieg in Minneapolis.

DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE⁴: Since Memorial Day weekend, U.S. airlines have canceled more than 50,000 flights, while more than half a million have been delayed, according to the flight tracking site flightaware.com. That amounts to more than 1 in 4 of all scheduled flights this summer. And like many travelers, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is frustrated⁵.

PETE BUTTIGIEG: Look. Americans have had experiences with cancellations, delays and poor customer service that just aren't at an acceptable level. We understand there are some things they're up against - extreme weather or other situations that that are beyond their control. But a lot of things are in their control. And one of those things is how they treat customers.

SCHAPER: Buttigieg says the airlines haven't been transparent⁶ in telling passengers what they're legally entitled to for flight disruptions.

BUTTIGIEG: For example, if you get canceled - for any reason, you don't take your flight. They have to offer you a cash refund⁷. If you'd rather take miles or a different flight, fine. But that's up to you, not them. They've got to give you a refund. That's a basic rule. That's the floor.

SCHAPER: So Buttigieg says the Department of Transportation will be rolling out a new website next week that will explain passengers' rights and each airline's policies.

BUTTIGIEG: So you can actually compare and know your rights before you choose to purchase that ticket and before you board that plane.

SCHAPER: While Buttigieg acknowledges some flight disruptions are due to severe weather and air traffic control problems, he says the airline's aggressive scheduling has made matters worse.

BUTTIGIEG: A lot of this, we're finding, has to do with the airlines not being prepared to staff the tickets that they're selling. And the remedy to that is, of course, No. 1, more staff but No. 2, in the meantime, realistic scheduling so that they know they're only collecting revenue on the routes they can actually serve.

SCHAPER: Many airlines did trim back their flight schedules some this summer, and they're cutting even more flights this fall. As for critics who say Buttigieg refuses, to take action against airlines that deny customers refunds⁸, Buttigieg says this.

BUTTIGIEG: We've got nearly a dozen active investigations⁹ going on right now. They're not something that you can just do by fiat¹⁰ or that I can just decide one fine day we're going to impose, but we're taking this very seriously.

SCHAPER: The industry group Airlines for America says its members comply with federal laws and regulations regarding cash refunds and issued $21 billion in refunds to customers over the past two years. The group also says the airlines are committed to working collaboratively with the federal government to overcome the industry's current headwinds. David Schaper, NPR News, Minneapolis.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 refund   

v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款

参考例句：

• They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
• We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

8 refunds   

n.归还，偿还额，退款( refund的名词复数 )v.归还，退还( refund的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Tomorrow he would return them to the store and claim refunds. 明天他要把它们退还给商店并要求退款。 来自辞典例句
• The new method means that taxpayers get refunds much faster. 这种新办法意味着纳税人可以较快地领到退还款。 来自辞典例句

9 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

10 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。