President Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has had numerous DOT disasters over the past few years and he is about to create yet another self inflicted crisis.
This past January, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) experienced a major glitch in its control system called NOTAM “Notice to Airmen” in which all flights had to be grounded costing millions of dollars. Buttigieg’s response to this disaster is to cut the amount of flight requirements for airlines’ takeoff and landing rights by up to 10% which would have a major ripple effect throughout the country.
The idea would be to reduce air traffic congestion in the New York City and Washington D.C. area because of a major shortage of air traffic controllers. All the airlines would feel the impact but especially JetBlue because they’re based in New York. This reduction would effect all American’s as many flights either take off or land in the New York City area to then go on to the next destination.
If Buttigieg’s plan goes forward, JetBlue and many other airlines would have to cut weekly flights, reducing overall availability for travelers and of course making the ticket prices rise during an already busy summer travel season.
According to JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes, “We don’t want to pull down flights. I’m sure no airline wants to pull down flights,” Hayes said in an interview with CNBC. “But if we don’t cut them the system is not going to be workable this summer.”
“We’re staffed, we’ve already trained pilots, we’re paying for pilots, we’ve bought airplanes, we’re paying for gates and slots,” Hayes continued. “This is going to have a very significant financial impact on JetBlue and our customers.”
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are already requesting waivers to try and avoid having to cut flights. Jet Blue has not yet requested a waiver but will happen shortly, with no guarantee of relief for any airlines.
According to Spencer Brown of TownHall, “The reduction in flights means fewer options for travelers, higher demand for available seats, and likely higher prices for Americans who’ve already seen fares increase 26.5 percent over the last 12 months.”
Brown wrote, “air travel demand always spikes in the summer and Americans are flying more often since the airlines have ended their COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. And last summer saw delays and disruptions as a result of already-existing ATC staffing issues.”
“There’s no reason why the FAA, Buttigieg, or Biden wouldn’t have known there’d be issues in the upcoming summer travel season unless staffing shortfalls were addressed,” he wrote. “Yet, they apparently did not do anything to avert the problem, at least nothing that made a difference, and now flight schedules in America’s largest city and the nation’s capital are being slashed. Will there be any accountability for Biden administration officials in charge of America’s air transportation system?”