Overview
- Deputy White House Chief of Staff James Blair said he would take a “new interest” in the airline industry after his American Airlines flight was delayed 2.5 hours for a hydraulic issue and his wife’s flight was delayed, which he described as the airline forgetting to book a pilot.
- Blair did not outline any policy steps, and the White House and American Airlines did not immediately comment on his account.
- American Airlines’ reliability has been under scrutiny following a late-January winter storm, with OAG data showing it trailed major rivals in on-time performance and had the highest cancellation rate in January.
- Since last year, the Transportation Department has reversed or softened several Biden-era measures, including waiving $16.7 million in fines against American and $11 million remaining from a Southwest penalty, withdrawing a cash-compensation proposal, and proposing guidance that deemphasizes civil fines.
- Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded to Blair’s post by urging the administration to restore passenger rights efforts and step up enforcement of airline laws.