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Pete Buttigieg, the outgoing Secretary of Transportation, has responded to comments made by Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines. Bastian had criticized the Department of Transportation's (DOT) consumer protection measures as overreach. Buttigieg countered that such views are disconnected from passenger sentiments.
In an interview with The New York Times, Buttigieg stated that anyone who believes the DOT overstepped its boundaries in enforcing consumer protections is "out of touch with his customers." He emphasized that passengers have supported measures like automatic refunds for delays and flight cancellations, as well as new rules on junk fees. According to Buttigieg, these regulations have not adversely affected airlines.
"We want airlines to succeed," he said. "We just want them to succeed by doing the right thing, and if they won’t do that on their own, we will implement policies to require it."
