- Sanders wants airline companies to hold up their end of the bargain or face steep fines.
- He urged big financial penalties on airlines with persistent flight delays over two hours.
- Other Democrats are growing concerned about a summer travel meltdown.
Many travelers in the US are growing frustrated with worsening flight delays in recent weeks. That's prompting Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to try and ensure major airliners hold up their end of the bargain going into the busy summer travel season — or face steep fines if they leave passengers and employees stranded on the tarmac.
"Taxpayers bailed out the airline industry during their time of need," Sanders said in a letter sent Wednesday to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "Now, it is the responsibility of the airline industry and the Department of Transportation to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the flying public and crew members are able to get to their destinations on time and without delay."
Sanders laid out some steps he wants the Biden administration to consider to penalize airlines for cancellations and delays:
- A $27,500 fine per passenger for domestic flight delays over two hours and international delays over three hours
- Compelling airlines to "promptly" refund all passengers for flights delayed over an hour
- Levying a $55,000 per passenger fine on airlines "if they cancel flights that they know cannot be fully staffed"
Other Democrats are seeking penalties on the airline industry. John Fetterman, the Democratic Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, issued a similar call earlier on Tuesday, arguing the Obama administration took a similar action in 2009.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ed Markey of Massachusetts also sent a letter on Wednesday to the 10 largest airline companies, which include Spirit Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines.
They demanded information on delays and other bottlenecks plaguing the industry, in addition to pressing them to provide timely ticket refunds to stranded passengers.
As part of the initial CARES Act in March 2020, Congress and President Trump approved roughly $50 billion bailout for major airline companies as the economy shut down and air travel halted from the pandemic. It came with some strings attached, such as barring airliners from laying off workers and stock buy-backs.
That money was largely meant to keep airline employees on the job. But the sector's workforce shrank due to voluntary buyouts in anticipation of a rebound that would take years. Now, they're struggling to keep pace with pent-up demand for travel.
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