Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. Airline executives claimed Wednesday that their service has been a “disaster” for the American people.
During a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, senior executives from American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines were questioned about their companies’ increases in customer reimbursements.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the subcommittee chairman, announced the hearing in late November, just as the committee released the findings of its PSI Majority Report. The report highlights how major airlines are increasingly using add-on or junk fees to boost revenue, which Blumenthal said has driven up costs for consumers.
Hawley expressed frustration with the executives, claiming it is a “disaster” for Americans to travel on their airlines.
Senator Josh Hawley questioned executives at major airlines about the way they run their businesses, arguing that the American people have had enough. (C-span)
“I mean, you guys do realize that flying with your airlines is a disaster, right?” the senator asked. “I’m a little surprised at the general attitude of all of you here. Flying with your airlines is horrible. It’s a horrible experience. I mean, I say this as a father of three young children, but I can’t tell you… no one likes flying with your airlines. It’s a disaster.”
Hawley shared a personal story about his family’s time flying during the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘You’re charging people fees that they don’t know about. You’re harassing them to death,” he said, before naming an American Airlines executive. “I will never forget Mr. Johnson, during COVID, when an employee of your airline threatened my wife because our then five-year-old son’s mask had slipped off. This is the time when we all had to wear those ridiculous masks–his mask had fallen below his nose. This flight attendant came up to my wife and said that if she didn’t keep that mask over his nose at all points during this four-hour flight, she would personally ensure that my wife would not be allowed to fly again. “
Vice Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer at American Airlines, Steve Johnson, testifies before Congress.
“This has happened to families over and over again. It’s horrible. It’s absolutely horrible. And your attitude here today seems to be, ‘Well, the devil doesn’t care, we can’t do anything about it.’ Well, I think we’re going to do something about it,” Hawley said.
At that same hearing, Blumenthal made a similarly scathing comment, suggesting that “Airlines today view their customers as little more than walking piggy banks to be shaken for every possible dime.”
After the hearing, Blumenthal told reporters that the outrage against the airlines was twofold.
“The anger and frustration on both sides of the aisle has been quite dramatic,” he said.
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Fox News’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.
