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Statement from Airlines for America

April 24, 2024

Setting the record straight:

• Survey after survey shows that airline customer satisfaction is at an all-time high.
• Air travel is at an all-time high.
• DOT data shows that airfares are at an all-time low (adjusted for inflation).
• Nearly 90% of Americans have flown.

This is all driven by robust interbrand competition which gives consumers the power of choice anytime they fly – from picking the airfare that best fits their needs to selecting the right seat and more.

Unnecessary regulatory rules issued without collaboration will lead to three things: confusion for consumers, reduction in choice and a decline in competition which historically drives up prices. Very simply put, a one-size-fits-all approach is anticompetitive and anti-consumer.

The White House Competition Council has said that a “lack of competition drives up prices for consumers and drives down wages for workers.” We are working every day to continue offering historically low airfares and historically high wages to the 800,000 men and women who work in the U.S. airline industry. In contrast, the Administration is making air travel more expensive for all Americans, including those who can least afford any kind of increase.

Unfortunately, the FAA is short nearly 3,000 certified professional controllers. We encourage the DOT to focus on hiring and training initiatives that are desperately needed to help get qualified, trained controllers into the towers, especially amid record travel.