Buttigieg Falters During Presser Staffer Bails Him Out - WATCH
Ahead of the likely record-breaking Memorial Day travel weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is offering insight into how the department is preparing for the high demand.
The Biden administration is expecting numbers to rival those seen before the pandemic, with major U.S. airlines like United, Delta, and American projecting to carry nearly 12 million people from May 27th to May 31st.
Buttigieg, in an interview with ABC News, shared the department’s initiatives to handle the anticipated surge in air traffic.
“We know for sure that there is going to be a very high level of demand, a lot of traffic and a lot of pressure on the system,” said Buttigieg.
COVID-19 has forced most Americans to stay home, leading to an unprecedented air traffic controller shortage.
Buttigieg has made hiring and training a priority to help offset the deficit.
“If you look at the optimal numbers, the numbers we like to be at, it is higher than where we are right now. That's why we're doing so much hiring, and it's why we're pushing to make sure that we get a budget as these negotiations go on [between the White House and Congress] that allow us to continue to pick up the pace on that hiring,” he said.
A staffer steps in to help Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg answer a question about transportation at his press conference pic.twitter.com/QHURkLtcAY
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Alongside staffing numbers, Buttigieg believes airlines may be overextending themselves when it comes to aviation schedules. The secretary is pressing companies to be more realistic to minimize potential chaos.
“In the New York airspace, we worked with airlines to permit an approach that would allow there to be larger aircraft, which means more passengers with fewer departures, which can mean less congestion,” he said.
Buttigieg, referring to last year’s delays and cancellations, called such disruptions “unacceptable.”
When asked if airlines can meet the high demand this year, Buttigieg said the department “has been pressing” the companies to be more realistic with scheduling and actively supporting the effort.
The Transportation Secretary called for agreements in negotiations between various pilot groups and airlines.
“We’re urging the parties to come to agreements...and understand that the pilots who are a very essential part of the aviation system expect to be compensated well, and their quality-of-life concerns, too. And airlines need to be able to run their business,” he said.
The Biden Administration recently announced it would seek to require airlines to provide customers with boosted compensation, including meals and hotels if they’re stranded and it is the airline’s fault. While some critics fear it will lead to higher costs for the public, Buttigieg believes other countries with similar regulations “can work.”
“We already know that this is an approach that can work because there are many other countries that have rules that require airlines to compensate passengers and also have very competitive airfares,” said Buttigieg.
As Memorial Day approaches, many will be watching to see if the potential record-breaking weekend lives up to expectations.
Pete Buttigieg: "It is cheaper to fill up a car or truck with electrons, typically, than with gas or diesel." pic.twitter.com/PEcFb6Y1DU
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 23, 2023