Airlines around the country have been dealing with a number of flight interruptions that are quite expensive for passengers. Several Americans have ended up missing out on events they had planned to attend because their planes were either completely canceled or delayed.
Airlines are currently limiting the number of flights they offer and the places they serve as a result of mounting public demand to address this issue.
Airlines assert that pilots—or rather, a lack of them—are currently a major contributing reason to the problems they’re experiencing.
There is growing pressure on airlines to resolve this issue once and for all, though, given that these disruptions have been occurring intermittently since 2021. Especially as July 4 draws near, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the administration keeps in regular contact with airlines.
Fox Weather – 6/29/2022 – discussing #BernieSanders's proposal to the airline industry
— CaseStudyQB – #PeoplesGauntlet (@CaseStudyQB) June 30, 2022
"What Bernie Sanders is looking for is pretty unprecedented!"
(Different style of reporting than the CNBC segment) pic.twitter.com/8z9lEj6VPU
Sen. Bernie Sanders is also urging financial punishment for airlines who continue to have similar problems.
In a letter to the Department of Transportation, the senator from Vermont demanded that the organization begin fining airlines that can’t get their financial house in order.
Sanders contends that penalties should begin to accrue whenever domestic flight delays reach two hours and international flight delays reach three hours.
The maximum charge, according to Sanders’ proposal, should be $15,000 per traveler, with the sole exemption being delays caused by real weather issues.
In other sections of the letter, the senator emphasized that because airlines receive such a large amount of government money, they have a responsibility to treat both employees and passengers with respect.
Lastly, Sanders said that the sanctions against airlines should rise to $50,000 per traveler if they wind up canceling flights for which they are aware they lack the required crew in advance.
Sanders advocated for customers to have their original price back if a flight is delayed for more than 60 minutes in a letter to the Transportation Department.
If Sanders had his way, airlines would be forced to pay for customers’ meals and lodging if flights were delayed by more than four hours.
The Transportation Department has not yet made any plans public on whether or not the Sanders-proposed penalty would be implemented.
