Airline CEOs Anticipate Regulatory Shift Under Trump Administration

Delta and Southwest leaders criticize Biden-era regulations, while Buttigieg defends consumer protections as industry braces for changes.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Southwest CEO Robert Jordan express optimism about the incoming Trump administration, calling it a chance to reduce regulatory 'overreach.'
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg defends Biden-era consumer protections, including automatic refunds for canceled flights, as broadly supported and beneficial for passengers.
Airlines have opposed several Biden administration rules, such as fee transparency requirements and investigations into frequent-flyer programs, and are suing to block some regulations.
Delta has faced scrutiny from the Department of Transportation over its handling of a technology outage in July, with similar investigations ongoing for other airlines.
Trump's pick for Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, is expected to focus on deregulation and infrastructure improvements, raising concerns among consumer advocates about potential rollbacks of passenger protections.