department of transportation

Tag Archives for department of transportation.

Must-Pass Shutdown Funding Bill Sneaks In Airline Policy Changes — “Two Pilots Forever” And A DOT Review To Chill Joint Ventures

by Gary Leff on January 23, 2026

Jan 23 2026

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.

Trump’s Transportation Chief Thinks Passenger Manners Ruin Travel—Ignores Airline Abuses, TSA Chaos, and His Own Boss’s Behavior

by Gary Leff on December 23, 2025

Dec 23 2025

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 Just Let Southwest Skip The Final $11 Million Of Its Christmas Meltdown Fine — And It’s The Only Part Of This ‘Record’ Penalty That Makes Sense

by Gary Leff on December 7, 2025

Dec 07 2025

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 Now Sparring Over Pandemic Mask Rules and Airplane Dress Codes — A Fight That’s Really About 2028

by Gary Leff on November 23, 2025

Nov 23 2025

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.

DOT Keeps Losing In Court Over Airline Rules—So They’re Slowing Down To Craft Consumer Protections That Stick

by Gary Leff on November 17, 2025

Nov 17 2025

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.

Trump Administration Withdraws Biden Airline Delay Compensation Plan — A Rule That Was Never Going To Happen

by Gary Leff on November 14, 2025

Nov 14 2025

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’s Aeromexico Joint Venture Just Got Saved By A Federal Court—DOT’s Breakup Order On Hold Until Next Year

by Gary Leff on November 14, 2025

Nov 14 2025

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 Say FAA’s Flight Cuts Political — Government Won’t Show Them the Safety Data

by Gary Leff on November 7, 2025

Nov 07 2025

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.

New FAA Order Reveals Changes To Flight Cuts and Airline Obligations as Government Shutdown Appears Near End

by Gary Leff on November 7, 2025

Nov 07 2025

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.

“Blink Twice, Scott Kirby”: Airline CEOs Pressured By Their Regulator To Support Trump’s Shutdown Line

by Gary Leff on October 30, 2025

Oct 30 2025

Today it was no coincidence that the CEOs of Delta, American and United all took the same public position on the government shutdown – that it needs to be resolved in exactly the way that the political leaders who regulate them says it does.