Travel delays are no joke; yet, they’ve been happening to travelers on a consistent on-and-off basis.
Airlines have cited weather issues, lack of staff, and COVID as some of the leading reasons why they are having to delay or rescind thousands of flights in various patches.
These sorts of issues are very disruptive to travelers. Some people found themselves stranded in airports for over 24 hours at a time. Others were on tight schedules and ended up missing weddings, birthday showers, and additional special events.
Airlines, meanwhile, are actually cutting their flight schedules as summer plays out. Travel demands are increasing; meanwhile, airlines aren’t having an easy time with meeting these demands.
Now, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg claims airlines can face punitive actions from the government over mass rescinding and delays of flights, per Fox News.
Buttigieg on Airlines and Air Travel Issues in the Country
According to the transportation secretary, the federal government has the power to mandate airlines hire more staffers. The government may very well do this if airlines aren’t able to prevent additional travel disruptions that Americans are being subjected to.
Buttigieg also claimed his office is reviewing potential other methods that can be employed to ensure airlines are appropriately meeting the needs of their customers.
Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the U.S. may take action against airlines on behalf of customers amid a slew of cancellations and delayed flights. @giobenitez has the details. https://t.co/kWY5S6eOU4 pic.twitter.com/8tJLr1xh0r
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 20, 2022
Not too long ago, the transportation secretary met with airline executives. The delays and rescinding of flights were a widely discussed issue.
According to Buttigieg, airline executives have been asked to run different tests that will prevent future travel disruptions, especially during the holidays.
A significant factor in whether or not airlines face punitive actions is going to be how they manage to deal with flights during Independence Day weekend.
Will This Really Fix the Issue?
Some Americans have questioned whether or not the federal government actually has the power to force airlines to get more workers on the beat.
Others worry that what Buttigieg is threatening to do may only make the situation of travel disruptions even worse. It’s likewise been pointed out that all these issues airlines are having came after COVID vaccine mandates were imposed upon airline workers.
ALERT CENTER: This morning, there are already more than 1,000 flights delayed and canceled for the day. (Courtesy: FlightAware) – https://t.co/vNF2x0FWZ1 #njmornings pic.twitter.com/wZFMP1WhEK
— News12NJ (@News12NJ) June 20, 2022
These mandates were supported and fought for by Buttigieg and others within the Biden administration.
Now that it’s blowing up in everyone’s faces, many Americans believe the worst thing the federal government could do is insert itself into the situation and begin making demands.
Time will tell what exactly the Transportation Department chooses to do concerning the delays and groundings of scheduled flights in the country.
Are you concerned about the on-and-off air travel issues that continue to materialize in this nation? Share with us in the comments section if you have any thoughts as to how this can be fixed.
