Tag Archives for department of transportation.
There is nothing inherently wrong with Sean Duffy filming a patriotic family road-trip show. The problem is the money: a pitch deck sought up to $1 million from sponsors including companies regulated by the Department of Transportation.
A must-pass funding package to avoid a January 30 government shutdown is carrying quiet airline policy moves that will matter far more than the headlines about FAA dollars.
The major pilot union is celebrating “two fully rested pilots at all times,” but the language is really a spending restriction that prevents the FAA from studying new technologies that might improve safety, and separate language orders the Department of Transportation to revisit decades-old international aviation policy that has worked to open market access and foster competition.
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy launched a campaign lecturing travelers on etiquette, blaming passenger behavior for inflight frustrations. Yet he conveniently ignores far bigger problems—including airlines shielded from accountability, TSA-induced travel stress, and, ironically, his own boss’s famously poor manners.
DOT made headlines bragging about a “record” $140 million penalty against Southwest for its Christmas 2022 meltdown, but the airline was never really on the hook for that number. Now that the agency has quietly waived the final $11 million, and surprisingly that was the right move.
Sean Duffy and Gavin Newsom are suddenly relitigating pandemic mask mandates and arguing over how people should dress on airplanes — a bizarre clash years after the rules ended. The exchange isn’t really about masks or manners at all, but about positioning for 2028 and appealing to their respective bases.
The DOT’s recent airline passenger regulations have stretched their authority, prompting a major rethink. Instead of rushing rules through, they’re adopting a more deliberate, evidence-based process—hoping new consumer protections withstand legal scrutiny and deliver lasting passenger benefits.
The Trump administration has formally withdrawn the Biden administration’s plan to require airlines to pay cash compensation for flight delays — a rule that was never close to becoming real. Despite two years of headlines, DOT never issued an actual proposal, never established legal authority, and never moved beyond an advance notice of proposed rulemaking.
Delta Air Lines scored a critical victory when a federal appeals court paused the Department of Transportation’s order to break up its joint venture with Aeromexico. The partnership can continue pending appeal, pushing any final decision into late 2026 and ensuring joint scheduling and pricing remain in place for now.
Airline executives are questioning the FAA’s 40-airport flight cuts, calling them political. Several C-level leaders say the government hasn’t shared the safety data they say they’re using as justification.
The FAA has issued a new order outlining changes to flight-cut requirements and airline obligations during the government shutdown. The directive adds penalties of up to $75,000 per unauthorized flight and temporarily limits passenger compensation rules as airlines coordinate nationwide schedule reductions.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
