{"id":532195,"date":"2022-12-29T02:45:12","date_gmt":"2022-12-28T23:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/buttigieg-faces-key-test-amid-southwest-meltdown\/"},"modified":"2022-12-29T02:45:12","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T23:45:12","slug":"buttigieg-faces-key-test-amid-southwest-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/buttigieg-faces-key-test-amid-southwest-meltdown\/","title":{"rendered":"#Buttigieg faces key test amid Southwest meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40c1bf3c970\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40c1bf3c970\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/buttigieg-faces-key-test-amid-southwest-meltdown\/#Buttigieg_faces_key_test_amid_Southwest_meltdown\" >Buttigieg faces key test amid Southwest meltdown<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Buttigieg_faces_key_test_amid_Southwest_meltdown\"><\/span>Buttigieg faces key test amid Southwest meltdown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/buttigiegpete_southwest.jpeg?w=900\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg faces one of his biggest tests yet as tens of thousands of outraged Southwest Airlines <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ers remain stranded at airports across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg is under pressure to help get travelers home, ensure they are reimbursed for unexpected costs and take steps to prevent this kind of meltdown from h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ening again.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr1_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>It\u2019s perhaps the most high-profile moment of the former \u2014 and potentially future \u2014 presidential candidate\u2019s tenure in the Biden administration. And it presents an opportunity for Buttigieg to take decision action, something critics say has been lacking during his tenure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow, we\u2019ve never seen a situation, at least not on my watch, with this volume of disruptions, so this is going to take an extraordinary level of effort by Southwest. And we will mount an extraordinary effort to make sure that they\u2019re meeting their obligations,\u201d he <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GMA\/status\/1608075800254767105?s=20&amp;t=-L3OwIuI_2iLfvJoCYKoFg\">said on ABC<\/a>\u2019s \u201cGood Morning America\u201d on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg spoke with the CEO of Southwest Airlines on Tuesday, conveying that he expects the airline to \u201clive up to the commitments it has made to passengers, including providing meal vouchers, refunds, and hotel accommodations,\u201d according to a Department of Transportation spokesperson. He also spoke to union leaders that represent Southwest\u2019s flight attendants and pilots.<\/p>\n<p>Southwest has canceled more than 15,000 flights over the holiday period due to rampant scheduling glitches and winter storms, disrupting travel plans for millions of customers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s happening this week is just the latest and perhaps the worst manifestation of problems that have been going on since Buttigieg took office,\u201d said William McGee, a former aircraft dispatcher who is a senior fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project.<\/p>\n<p>McGee and other consumer advocates who push for tougher rules on airlines say Buttigieg has failed to crack down on industry practices that have led to widespread consumer complaints. They note that Buttigieg hasn\u2019t levied any fines against large carriers for canceling flights at the last minute or failing to provide refunds.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr2_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe had high hopes for him, and I think, quite frankly, he has been a tremendous disappointment. He could be doing much more, and for whatever reason he has chosen not to use the authority that he clearly has,\u201d McGee said.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of tougher rules say they would discourage airlines from overbooking flights \u2014 a practice that contributed to Southwest\u2019s mass cancellations \u2014 and mishandling customers\u2019 luggage. It will be up to Southwest to fix its archaic scheduling system that went haywire over the holidays.<\/p>\n<p>In August, Buttigieg proposed a rule that would require airlines to give refunds if a flight is canceled or significantly delayed. Still, Democrats said it didn\u2019t go far enough, arguing that carriers should also have to pay for secondary costs such as food, lodging and transportation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr3_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Those lawmakers include Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, who said Tuesday that the Southwest meltdown \u2014 which has stranded some travelers for several days \u2014 shows why the rule needs to be strengthened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConsumers deserve strong protections, including an updated consumer refund rule,\u201d Cantwell said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, 34 state attorneys <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> from both parties sent a letter to Buttigieg pushing for tougher airline rules, arguing that the department should impose significant fines for avoidable cancellations and prohibit carriers from selling flights that aren\u2019t adequately staffed.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr4_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Buttigieg isn\u2019t the first Transportation secretary to draw criticism for being too friendly to the airline industry. States have long bemoaned that federal law prevents them from investigating airline customer complaints, citing the department\u2019s futility.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAmericans are justifiably frustrated that federal government agencies charged with overseeing airline consumer protection are unable or unwilling to hold the airline industry accountable and to swiftly investigate complaints submitted to the US DOT,\u201d attorneys general <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneygeneral.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2022-08-31-Airline-Accountability-and-Increased-Consumer-Protection.pdf\">wrote in a letter<\/a> to congressional leaders in August pushing them to revoke the law.<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg\u2019s performance as Transportation secretary is under a microscope in part because he is largely considered to have aspirations beyond the Biden administration.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg\u2019s campaign to be the 2020 Democratic nominee for president gained him national attention and put him on the map as a Democrat to watch for future White House bids. The former Mayor of South Bend, Ind., exceeded expectations and won the Iowa caucuses before bowing out of the race and endorsing Biden.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Brian Keeter, a former Department of Transportation official under President George W. Bush, predicted that Buttigieg will seek middle ground in his Southwest response.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe challenge for Secretary Buttigieg is resisting populist demands from some on the left to attack Southwest as a heartless behemoth and call for a heavy-handed regulatory solution with unintended consequences. He\u2019s much too smart for that, and he knows it wouldn\u2019t serve well either the flying public or his political future,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Keeter added that he thinks Buttigieg will appropriate this issue \u201cadroitly\u201d and compared it to how he worked with businesses to fix supply chain issues early in the Biden administration.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for his brand of strategic, collaborative leadership that brings the best minds to the table, strengthens private-public collaboration and gets a long-term win for all involved, especially consumers,\u201d said Keeter, a senior director at public relations consultancy APCO Worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>President Biden on Tuesday said the administration will hold airlines accountable for mass flight cancellations and urged customers who were affected to visit the Department of Transportation\u2019s website to see if they are entitled to compensation.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr5_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Biden has previously targeted airlines over so-called junk fees added to the price of tickets. His steps to eliminate junk fees for customers were announced in October as part of his broader efforts to combat inflation.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans, meanwhile, are attempting to pin the blame on Buttigieg for the travel issues.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere\u2019s @SecretaryPete? #SouthwestAirlines,\u201d the House Judiciary Committee Republicans wrote on <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecretaryPete\/status\/1608075433416744960?s=20&amp;t=3MTQnxNeJa4V-fQ3FC_f_g\">Buttigieg responded<\/a>, \u201cGood morning! At the moment I\u2019m on Capitol Hill, not far from your offices. We\u2019ll keep getting results for passengers using our authorities &amp; resources as an agency. If you\u2019re calling for policies that would deepen those resources, please be specific \u2013 I\u2019d welcome the dialogue.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/policy\/transportation\/3791246-buttigieg-faces-key-test-amid-southwest-meltdown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buttigieg faces key test amid Southwest meltdown Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg faces one of his biggest tests yet as tens of thousands of outraged Southwest Airlines travelers remain stranded at airports across the country.\u00a0 Buttigieg is under pressure to help get travelers home, ensure they are reimbursed for unexpected costs and take steps to prevent&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":532196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/buttigiegpete_southwest.jpeg?w=1280","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[134418,90482,133498,124783,86817,76847,134345,73295,137771],"class_list":["post-532195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-congress-blog","tag-house","tag-in-the-know","tag-international","tag-pete-buttigieg","tag-southwest-airlines","tag-state-watch","tag-transportation","tag-travel-delays"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=532195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/532196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=532195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=532195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=532195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}