Money Control Place
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Stocks
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Stocks
  • Investing

Money Control Place

Business

U.S. to ‘beat up’ airlines when necessary for passengers, transportation secretary says

by July 22, 2023
July 22, 2023
U.S. to ‘beat up’ airlines when necessary for passengers, transportation secretary says

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he is willing to take a hard line with airlines when necessary as the Biden administration vows a sweeping upgrade in passenger consumer protections.

“We’re continuing to work to make sure that airlines live up to their obligations, which we will enforce,” Buttigieg told Reuters in a wide-ranging interview on Thursday.

U.S. airlines have sparred with the administration in recent years over responsibility for flight delays, passenger rights, landing slots and other issues. Carriers and a federal audit say the Federal Aviation Administration must boost air traffic control staffing.

Buttigieg has opened numerous investigations and imposed fines for carrier misbehavior. President Joe Biden has often criticized airlines, saying in February “airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of baggage.”

While Buttigieg works with airlines when possible, he added: “We’re going to beat ‘em up when we think that’s important to get passengers a better deal.”

Buttigieg said he is “in the middle of what I intend to be the biggest expansion of passenger rights in years. And there are tensions that are naturally going to come through with that.”

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby recently suggested the Federal Aviation Administration had “failed us” before changing his tone.

In late June and early July, United had higher cancellations that it blamed in part on air traffic control staffing issues.

“It was another scenario where you had the rest of the system seem to recover and one player struggling — so certainly something we’re looking at it,” Buttigieg said.

In late 2022, Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) suffered an operational meltdown after bad weather that also affected peers was compounded by its legacy scheduling system. Buttigieg has an ongoing investigation into Southwest’s meltdown but he declined to discuss findings.

Buttigieg said the U.S. airline industry has improved over last year, citing lower cancellation rates and adding “the schedules are more realistic, certainly the outcomes are better.”

The Transportation Department plans to propose new rules requiring airlines compensate passengers for significant flight delays or cancellations when carriers are responsible.

Buttigieg said the July 1 rollout of 5G C-Band has gone better than expected with minimal disruptions. Last month, he warned of potential delays for airplanes without upgraded radio altimeters.

Buttigieg said airlines were largely prepared but that “took a lot of pressure. It took multiple moments where we had to really just make sure they could read our body language that we really were serious… I don’t think the airlines believed us early on.”

The FAA has been without a Senate-confirmed administrator since April 2022 and a prior nominee withdrew in March.

Buttigieg said the White House was close to naming a new nominee. The White House has been considering naming former Deputy FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, sources told Reuters, but Buttigieg declined to identify the expected nominee.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
GNG TV: Industrial “Go” Trends are a Big Help to a Bull Market
next post
‘Barbenheimer’ gets off to hot start with $32.8 million in combined Thursday sales

Related Posts

Consumers await key inflation data as hopes for...

February 13, 2024

Golf’s PGA Tour and LIV merger is the...

June 12, 2023

UAW autoworkers officially ratified new contract, union says

November 22, 2023

GM to invest $632 million to produce next-generation...

June 14, 2023

Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty on all counts at...

November 4, 2023

Welcome to the housing market’s ‘new normal’ —...

February 26, 2024

Tesla shares plunge 15%, steepest drop in five...

March 11, 2025

Why companies are canceling summer Fridays

June 17, 2024

Ulta Beauty CEO outlines plans to boost sales...

June 2, 2024

Amazon says employees who don’t comply with the...

November 21, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest

    • Run Your Stock Portfolio Like a Pro Sports Team

    • Leadership Rotation Could Confirm Corrective Phase

    • Breakouts, Momentum & Moving Averages: 10 Must-See Stock Charts Right Now

    • 1911 Gold Temporarily Suspends Operations at True North Complex due to Bissett Evacuation Order

    • Ontario Backs Down on Key Bill 5 Provisions, Echoes BC’s Mining Debate

    • Appeals Court Grants Trump Temporary Reprieve on Tariffs, “TACO” Taunts Gain Steam

    Categories

    • Business (1,223)
    • Investing (2,503)
    • Politics (3,699)
    • Stocks (1,614)
    • Uncategorized (20)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: MoneyControlPlace.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 moneycontrolplace.com | All Rights Reserved