Current Events in December 2021

Get ready for another rash of flight cancellations as we enter the New Year’s weekend. According to FlightAware data, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Delta Air Lines, SkyWest, and Horizon have all canceled 50 or more flights between Thursday and Saturday.

JetBlue is suffering much of that interruption due to a growing number of coronavirus-related illnesses among its crew members. FlightAware data shows that JetBlue’s current list of cancellations totals 367 through New Year’s Day.

"We expect the number of Covid cases in the northeast -- where most of our crewmembers are based -- to continue to surge for the next week or two," a JetBlue spokesperson told Reuters. "This means there is a high likelihood of additional cancellations until case counts start to come down."

The impact of JetBlue’s cancellations could also be felt in other parts of the country where it has secondary hubs – such as Florida, Virginia, and California. A spokesperson for FlightAware said JetBlue probably won’t be the only airline that will be canceling a large number of flights.

“We would expect to see more delays and possibly more cancellations over the weekend if the thunderstorm weather that is forecast to be an issue in the southeast United States actually happens, and if there is a widespread area of weather,” the spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs. “That area of projected storms could impact Atlanta, which could be problematic especially for Delta Airlines as that’s their main base.”

What cancellations travelers can expect

For a full rundown of flight cancellation data, consumers can view FlightAware’s data here. Below are some of the details that ConsumerAffairs pulled out as of Thursday afternoon. 

Affected Points of Departure

The greatest number of canceled domestic flights on Thursday – 148 – began at Seatac Airport in Seattle. After that, other affected points of departure include Liberty Newark with 48, JFK with 40, and Orlando, Boston, and Ft. Lauderdale with 34 each.

Friday cancellations are similar, but Denver International rises to the top of the list with 69 cancellations. There has also been a spike in cancellations at Houston Bush International (17) and Chicago O’Hare (13).

It’s probably too early to tell how Saturday will eventually play out, but New Year's Day cancellations for origin airports are currently led by Liberty Newark (14), JFK (8), and Los Angeles’ LAX (8).

Affected Destinations

As far as destination airports are concerned, Seattle’s Seatac leads the way with 141 cancellations. It’s followed by Newark with 60, Los Angeles’ LAX with 45, and Denver with 40.

For Friday, Denver moves into the top spot with 62 cancellations. It’s followed by Newark with 38, Seattle with 37, Boston Logan with 26, JFK with 25, Ft. Lauderdale with 23, and Houston Bush with 22.

Domestic U.S. cancellations for Saturday are too early to predict accurately, but Denver, Newark, and JFK all listed 16 cancellations apiece on Thursday afternoon. 

There are two new COVID-19 tests available for at-home use – and just in time too. Making good on President Biden’s commitment to make a half-billion at-home tests available to Americans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency use authorization to two more test kits – one manufactured by Siemens and another produced by SD Biosensor. 

With additional options on the market, the potential to get tests into more Americans’ hands goes up significantly at a time when they’re hard to find. Many consumers rushed out to buy tests ahead of holiday gatherings, and one version has been recalled over an accuracy defect. 

The total number of non-prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) at-home COVID-19 tests that are available to the public now numbers 15 (12 antigen tests and 3 molecular tests). 

"Increasing Americans' access to easy-to-use, reliable COVID tests is a top priority for the Biden Administration, and we are using all resources at our disposal to make more tests available and ramp up supply," Xavier Becerra, the Health and Human Services Secretary, said in a statement. "Adding two new authorized tests will give Americans more options for testing at home, which helps keep people safe and provides peace of mind.”

Expect more tests to be made available quicker

An FDA spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs that people can expect the rollout of more at-home tests to continue because of the $70 million investment the U.S. made in the Independent Test Assessment Program (ITAP). The true power of ITAP is that it gives companies expanded access to rapid tests by quickly gathering critical data that companies need to request EUA.

"By rapidly conducting the precise studies recommended by the FDA, this program is shaving weeks to months off the typical EUA timeline," said Dr. Bruce J. Tromberg, a director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

A new study conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Chicago explored how infants’ health is affected when their mothers contract COVID-19 during pregnancy. 

According to the findings, infants’ growth and development reached normal, healthy levels by the time they reached six months old even if their mothers were infected with COVID-19 when they were in utero.

“Our results should be reassuring to pregnant women with COVID-19 who are worried about how the virus might affect the baby,” said researcher Dr. Malika Shah. “At six-month follow-up, we observed normal growth patterns and developmental milestones, with the rate of development referrals not higher than what we normally see. This is very good news during the pandemic that has been especially hard on populations facing health inequities and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19.” 

Infants’ health may not be compromised by COVID-19

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 30 infants born between April 2020, and July 2020. Fifty-five percent of the mothers tested positive within 10 days of giving birth, and none of the infants tested positive at the time of birth. The researchers tracked the infants’ health outcomes during their first six months after birth.

Ultimately, the researchers found that infants born to mothers who had COVID-19 were just as healthy as infants who had no connection to the virus. Findings showed that the Infants were growing normally, the large majority were up to date on their vaccines, and that their parents were consistent with taking infants to follow-up appointments. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more studies look into how infants’ health is affected when mothers contract COVID-19 during pregnancy. 

“As the pandemic persists and variants emerge, looking at longer-term outcomes is critical,” Shah said. 

Holiday motorists faced the highest gasoline prices since 2013, but one energy expert who tracks prices says the national average could exceed $4 a gallon in the first half of 2022.

Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says an improving economy will fuel the increase. His forecast is at odds with the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast, which in November predicted gas prices would slide below $3 a gallon early in the year.

Meanwhile, motorists traveling over the extended New Year’s holiday will find mostly stable fuel prices. In its daily survey, AAA shows that the national average price of regular gas is $3.28 a gallon, a penny less than seven days ago. The average price of premium gas is also a penny per gallon cheaper than a week ago, at $3.92 a gallon. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.57 a gallon, the same as last week.

Most states have seen little price movement in the last week. Arizona is an exception, where the statewide average is down by five cents a gallon in the last week. The average price fell four cents a gallon in Utah and Ohio.

States with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to AAA:

• California ($4.65)   

• Hawaii ($4.33)  

• Nevada ($3.84)   

• Washington ($3.86) 

• Oregon ($3.77) 

• Arizona ($3.64)      

• Alaska ($3.69) 

• Idaho ($3.57)

• Pennsylvania ($3.53)

• Utah ($3.50)    

States with the cheapest gas

AAA reports that these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Texas ($2.87)  

• Oklahoma ($2.87)  

• Arkansas ($2.91)  

• Missouri ($2.92)  

• Mississippi ($2.94)

•  Kentucky ($2.93)

•  Kansas ($2.96)

•  Wisconsin ($2.99)

•  Ohio($2.99)  

• Tennessee ($2.99)

Margherita Meats of Omaha, Neb., is recalling approximately 10,990 pounds of ready-to-eat pepperoni.

The product may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus (B. cereus).

There are no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following unsliced item, produced and packaged on June 17, 2021, is being recalled:

• 8-oz. plastic shrink-wrapped packages containing unsliced pepperoni “Margherita PEPPERONI” with lot code P1931C and a “use by date” of 12-14-21 on the label.

The recalled products, bearing the establishment number “EST. 19” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, they should discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (844) 342-2596.

Chrysler is recalling 346 Mopar Trailer Reverse Steering Control Modules (TRSCM) with part numbers 68423566AE and 68423566AF.

The TRSCM may prevent the rearview image from displaying.

A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Chrysler will repurchase the TRSCMs.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 12, 2022.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y85.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 53,217,506 (52,912,744)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 821,346 (819,253)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 283,243,283 (281,591,352)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,418,524 (5,410,921)‌

U.S. cases in record territory

Amid a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, the U.S. seven-day average of cases has hit a record – 265,427. The previous seven-day record was 252,000 daily cases, which was hit in January before vaccines were widely available.

Nearly all sections of the country are seeing a major escalation of the pandemic because of the highly contagious new variant. Most health experts say the new year could see an even sharper rise in cases.

"January is going to be a really, really hard month,” Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, told CNN. “And people should just brace themselves for a month where lots of people are going to get infected."

Omicron very different from other variants, top scientist says

A top British medical scientist says the Omicron variant is very different from other forms of COVID-19, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In an interview with the BBC, John Bell, a regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, said serious hospitalizations are falling as the new variant spreads.

“The disease does appear to be less severe, and many people spend a relatively short time in hospital,” Bell said. “They don’t need high-flow oxygen, average length of stay is apparently three days, this is not the same disease as we were seeing a year ago.” 

While British hospitals are still full, Bell said the number of people in ICUs who are vaccinated remains “very, very low.”

Flight attendants blast new CDC quarantine guidance

The nation’s airline flight attendants are not happy with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after it shortened the quarantine period for exposure to COVID-19. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants-CWA, said the decision to shorten the period from 10 days to five was motivated by business, not science.

"We said we wanted to hear from medical professionals on the best guidance for quarantine, not from corporate America advocating for a shortened period due to staffing shortages," Nelson said. "The CDC gave a medical explanation about why the agency has decided to reduce the quarantine requirements from 10 to five days, but the fact that it aligns with the number of days pushed by corporate America is less than reassuring."

Airlines canceled hundreds of flights during Christmas week because they were unable to assemble full flight crews.

Around the nation

• Washington D.C.: The nation’s capital is now the nation’s number one COVID-19 hotspot. Data compiled by John’s Hopkins shows that the city experienced an average of 1,192 new cases per day over the past seven days and 169 cases per 100,000 people as of Monday.

• Connecticut: The positivity rate remains in double digits, rising from 10% to 15% in just one day this week, according to state health officials. In New Haven, the city's health director said the city is in a community-spread situation. Health officials assume one in four people will test positive for COVID-19.

• Montana: State health records show that COVID-19 was the leading cause of death among Native Americans in Montana last year. In contrast, it was only the third-leading cause of death for all other state residents. A new report found that 1,022 Native Americans in Montana died last year, compared to an average of 676 deaths each year during the five previous years.

• Louisiana: With new cases of COVID-19 on the rise, the Louisiana Department of Health has opened two new temporary testing sites that will operate through Friday, Dec. 31. Both are in Baton Rouge.

• Minnesota: The state marked a milestone this week. The 4,155 new cases of the virus reported Monday pushed the statewide total past one million since the start of the pandemic. One of the most recent cases includes Gov. Tim Walz.

Hackers had another field day at T-Mobile, or so it appears. After a massive data breach compromised the accounts of six million users in August, the T-Mo Report is citing internal documents that show the company uncovered “unauthorized activity” on some customer accounts. 

The organization said the activity was most likely either the viewing of customer proprietary network information (CPNI), an active SIM (subscriber identity module) swap by a malicious actor, or possibly both.

If it was CPNI, then the hackers could have taken advantage of a customer’s account name, phone number, rate plan, and more. “That’s not great, but it’s much less of an impact than the breach back in August had, which leaked customer social security numbers,” T-Mo said. 

On the other hand, if it was a SIM swap, things could be worse. Hackers could gain control of a customer’s phone number. In that situation, it could lead to the victim’s other online accounts being accessed via two-factor authentication codes sent to their phone number, T-Mo said. However, the document shared with T-Mo indicated that anyone affected by a SIM swap had lucked out and that action was reversed.

T-Mobile responds

When ConsumerAffairs asked T-Mobile for a comment about the breach, the company confirmed the issue and said that it has corrected it.

“We were informed [by] a very small number of customers that the SIM card assigned to a mobile number on their account may have been illegally reassigned or limited account information was viewed. Unauthorized SIM swaps are unfortunately a common industry-wide occurrence, however this issue was quickly corrected by our team, using our in-place safeguards, and we proactively took additional protective measures on their behalf,” a company spokesperson said in an email.

In addition, T-Mobile Help responded to a question posted on Twitter by saying that it was “taking immediate steps to help protect all individuals who may be at risk from this cyberattack.” It followed by saying users could send it a direct message to discuss steps to increase account security.

T-Mo also reported that customers who notified T-Mobile of unauthorized activity on their account have had notes added to their account for reps to see when accessing them.

With 2022 fast approaching, workers can soon expect a hike to the minimum wage. A recent report suggests that employers across the U.S. are raising pay standards to retain staff and attract new workers.

According to payroll experts at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., 22 states are planning to abandon the decade-old $7.25 federal minimum wage and implement minimum wage increases of their own starting Jan. 1. Another four states are expected to follow suit later in the year. 

“These minimum wage increases indicate moves toward ensuring a living wage for people across the country,” said Deirdre Kennedy, senior payroll analyst at Wolters Kluwer. “In addition to previously approved incremental increases, the change in presidential administration earlier this year and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have also contributed to these changes.”

Highlights of the new wage increases

Washington D.C. currently has the highest minimum wage of all the states and territories, at $15.20. It will keep that distinction on January 1, but California and New York will be drawing close as both states set $15 an hour as their new base pay. However, there's a caveat for those in California – the $15 per hour rate is for businesses with 26 or more employees; the minimum rate is $14 per hour for smaller employers.

It’s even better in some cities. Hotel workers in West Hollywood, Calif., will see their minimum wage go to $17.64 an hour. Non-hotel workers in West Hollywood are also getting a bump, with their minimum wage going to $15.50 starting January 1. It will rise by another dime to $15.60 in July. Portland, Ore., is raising its local wages too, locking in $14.75 as the minimum.

Officials from ten states that haven’t pledged minimum pay increases for 2022 have said they’ll bring the minimum up to $15 per hour over the next five years. Those include Connecticut and Massachusetts by 2023; New Jersey by 2024; Delaware, Illinois, Maryland (large employers), and Rhode Island by 2025; and Florida and Maryland (small employers) by 2026. Pennsylvania will also move to a $15 per hour minimum for employees under the Governor’s jurisdiction by 2024.

Individual companies are raising minimum wages too

After a year where companies were hit hard by the Great Resignation, some are hiking wages to make sure they can entice workers and keep them around. 

Costco, Target, Chipotle, Wells Fargo, Aetna, and Walmart have already raised minimum wage rates for their employees. Others like CVS and Darden Restaurants – home to Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse – are set to do the same in 2022. 

Wolters Kluwer said companies that raise wages are reaping some benefits from doing so, including improved customer service, happier workers, savings, and more professional candidates seeking to work for them. Darden’s CEO said that much of his company’s 37% increase in sales is essentially proof of that. 

"Our people fuel our success,” CEO Gene Lee said in announcing the company’s pay boost.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Birmingham explored how gum disease may have wide-reaching effects on consumers’ health. According to their findings, being diagnosed with gum disease may increase the risk of certain mental health conditions and lead to poor heart health. 

“When oral ill-health progresses, it can lead to a substantially reduced quality of life,” said researcher Dr. Joht Singh Chandan. “However, until now, not much has been known about the association of poor oral health and many chronic diseases, particularly mental ill-health. Therefore, we conducted one of the largest epidemiological studies of its kind to date, using U.K. primary care data to explore the association between periodontal disease and several chronic conditions. 

“We found evidence that periodontal disease appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing these associated chronic diseases,” he added. “As periodontal diseases are very common, an increased risk of other chronic diseases may represent a substantial public health burden.” 

Oral hygiene impacts mental and physical health

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 64,000 patients who had been diagnosed with gum disease by their general practitioners. They compared the health outcomes of these patients with over 250,000 patients with no history of gum disease. The team paid close attention to the development of cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, cardiometabolic disorders, and mental health concerns over the course of three years. 

Ultimately, the researchers observed a clear link between those with a history of gum disease and the development of any of the physical or mental health concerns. Mental health concerns posed the biggest risk, as the risk of developing these issues increased by nearly 40% for those with gum disease. Gum disease also increased the risk of autoimmune diseases like arthritis by more than 30%. 

“Some of the biggest challenges of arthritis, especially autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which affects 400,000 people in the U.K., is being able to know who is more at risk of developing it, and finding ways to prevent it,” said researcher Caroline Aylott. “Previous studies have shown that people with RA were four times more likely to have gum disease than their RA-free counterparts and it tended to be more severe. 

The study also showed that there was a nearly 20% higher risk of developing heart disease for those with gum disease, and a 7% higher risk of cardiometabolic conditions. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more work is done to identify patients who may be close to developing gum disease, as this may help prevent serious long-term physical and mental health concerns. 

“This research provides further clear evidence why health care professionals need to be vigilant for early signs of gum disease and how it can have wide-reaching implications for a person’s health, reinforcing the importance of taking a holistic approach when treating people,” Aylott said. 

A new study recently published in the Journal of Oncology explored how different treatments can benefit breast cancer patients. The findings show that utilizing integrative lifestyle therapies – which include things like exercise, nutrition counseling, yoga, and spiritual services – may improve breast cancer survival rates. 

“Access to basic integrative health care services in cancer care not only supports a higher quality of life, but this study also shows that these services increase a patient’s chance of survival,” said researcher Dr. Wayne Jonas. “These findings serve as a call to action for hospitals and oncologists to support a whole-person approach to cancer care.” 

Comprehensive treatments lead to better results

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 5,000 people who had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer between 2013 and 2014. The team evaluated survey responses from over 100 oncologists about what kinds of treatments they provided their breast cancer patients, including alternative therapies. 

The study focused on a dozen different holistic offerings, including massage therapy, Reiki, spiritual services, nutrition, acupuncture, patient support groups, music therapy, art therapy, psycho-oncology support, exercise, meditation, tai chi, and yoga. The researchers learned that these integrative therapies were associated with better survival outcomes for breast cancer patients. 

Ultimately, patients had better survival rates when hospitals offered more integrative therapies. The study showed that offering patients even a moderate number of these treatments can make survival up to three times more likely over five years. 

Based on these findings, the researchers hope more health care facilities adopt these integrative treatments for breast cancer patients. Having these therapies available onsite can be a helpful way to create more thorough treatment plans.

“Patients can play an active role in their cancer treatment and outcomes – but they are much more likely to do it with approval and help from their health system,” said researcher Terri Crudup. “Oncologists and institutions that treat these patients need to consider providing education, support, and funding for these complementary and lifestyle therapies.” 

Amazon said it has updated its Alexa personal assistant after the device instructed a British girl to touch a coin to a live wire.

The incident reportedly occurred when the 10-year-old girl asked Alexa for a “challenge to do.” According to the child’s mother, who reported the incident on Twitter, her daughter had been performing different physical challenges to stay busy. 

When bad weather prevented outdoor activity, the girl asked Alexa for a “challenge” she could perform indoors.

"Plug in a phone charger about halfway into a wall outlet, then touch a penny to the exposed prongs," the smart speaker said.

In a statement to the BBC, Amazon said it reprogrammed Alexa to remove the instruction as soon as the company became aware of it. According to Kristin Livdahl, the girl’s mother, Alexa described the dangerous challenge as “something I found on the web.”

"We were doing some physical challenges, like laying down and rolling over holding a shoe on your foot, from a [physical education] teacher on YouTube earlier,” Livdahl wrote on Twitter. “Bad weather outside. She just wanted another one."

Originated on TikTok

According to the BBC, "the penny challenge" began circulating on TikTok and other social media during the pandemic. While not usually lethal, the resulting shock can cause serious injury.

"Customer trust is at the center of everything we do and Alexa is designed to provide accurate, relevant, and helpful information to customers," Amazon said in a statement. 

PopBuzz, a pop culture website, reports that the dangerous challenge originated on TikTok. Users of the app have previously suggested “challenges” that come with different degrees of danger.

“Over the course of the past 12 months, TikTok has introduced us to a wide variety of challenges,” the site reports. “At the start of the year, we had the Buss It Challenge (everyone loves a good makeover), then there was the Milk Crate Challenge (this one ended in a lot of injuries), and more recently people have been doing the Wear It Big Challenge (the perfect viral thirst trap moment).”

The “penny challenge” is among the most dangerous of the suggested challenges, safety experts warn. Not only will the person get a dangerous jolt of electricity, but the stunt can cause a fire or serious injuries.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 22,462 model year 2021-2022 Sequoias and model year 2021 Tundras.

The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.

An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 22, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB10 and 21TA10.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 4,548 model year 2020 Transit vehicles with All Wheel Drive (AWD).

The bolts that attach the rear driveshaft to the transfer case may become loose or damaged, which can result in the separation of the driveshaft from the transfer case.

Driveshaft separation can result in a loss of drive power or unintended movement while the vehicle is parked if the parking brake is not engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft bolts. If any loose bolts are found, the driveshaft, attachment hardware, transfer case flange kit, and seal will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 31, 2022.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S54.

Even though air travel is beginning to return to its pre-pandemic numbers, the issues airlines are running into with COVID-19 requirements, unseasonable weather, and labor shortages have put the aviation industry in a tough spot when it comes to catering to customers.

In a recent data story, UpgradedPoints examined how travelers feel about the service they’re receiving, with researchers comparing monthly averages for complaints, canceled flights, and mishandled baggage.

The best and worst carriers for customer service

Delta Air Lines subsidiary Endeavor Air took home the prize for the airline with the best customer service, with an overall score of 83.94 points. Delta Air Lines by itself also had a good showing, with a second-place customer service score of 75.77 points. 

The third-place airline was another regional carrier like Endeavor – SkyWest Airlines. Notably, the company’s customer service was put to the test just this week when hundreds of its flights were canceled. 

When it came to the airlines with the worst customer service scores, the last place finisher with a score of 29.06 was Frontier Airlines. The company continues to collect concerning comments from ConsumerAffairs reviewers. 

“Worst customer service ever. [The] price to cancel is $79. Even if you try to change your flight, [the] same price [is] $79,” wrote Rocky from Jensen Beach, Fla. in a ConsumerAffairs post. “What a joke. If you can avoid booking/flying with this airline you will be doing yourself a huge favor.”

JetBlue was close to being the big loser. Its total score was only 3 points higher than Frontier’s, at 32.64 overall. 

Canceled flights and mishandled baggage scores

Delta Air Lines earned some bonus points in the study by scoring first and second (with Endeavor) in the lowest percentage of canceled flights. The worst airline, according to the study, was Hawaiian Airlines. 

When it came to taking good care of a traveler’s bags, Allegiant beat out the competition by only mishandling 1.52 bags per 1,000 over an average month. UpgradedPoints’ Alex Miller says American Airlines lies on the other end of that spectrum. 

“No one mishandles bags like American, which is present in every single one of the top 5 spots [with its regional partners] here,” he wrote. “In fact, American mishandles approximately 30,262 bags per month, or about 7.37 bags per every 1,000. If you lump American in with Envoy and PSA? That number reaches 39,704, or 6.66 bags per every 1,000.”