Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has warned airlines that his department could draft new rules around passenger rights if the carriers don't give more help to travelers trapped by flight cancellations and delays.
The Transportation Department on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, released a copy of the letters, which it said were sent to CEOs of the major U.S. airlines, their regional affiliates, and budget carriers.
FILE - A man sleeps on the terminal floor at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Dec. 18, 2017, in Atlanta. The Transportation Department on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, released a copy of the letters, which it said were sent to CEOs of the major U.S. airlines, their regional affiliates, and budget carriers.
Buttigieg is asking airline CEOs to, at a minimum, provide lodging for passengers stranded overnight at an airport and give out meal vouchers for delays of three hours or longer when the disruption is caused by something in the airline’s control. The Transportation Department on Friday released a copy of the letters, which it said were sent to CEOs of 10 U.S. airlines including the major ones, their regional affiliates, and budget carriers.
A spokeswoman for Airlines for America, a trade group whose members include American, United, Delta and Southwest, said airlines “strive to provide the highest level of customer service.” She said the airlines are committed to overcoming challenges including a tight labor market.