by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:45 AM ET, Mon September 18, 2023
The Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines said last
week that the current plan being considered by the United States to reimburse passengers
impacted by delays and cancellations could make flying commercially less safe.
According to Bloomberg.com,
United CEO Scott Kirby said the U.S. Department of Transportation is
considering a new rule that would force airlines who experience disruptions
deemed under their control to increase reimbursement for hotels, meals and
re-booking.
Kirby said the chances would cost carriers in the U.S. “a
god-awful amount of money,” and reiterated that he would be “adamantly vocal”
in opposing such proposals. The CEO said there are concerns about the aviation
industry’s safety if the increased payments are approved.
United CEO Scott Kirby (photo via United Airlines)
“We should never risk changing the safety culture in
aviation,” Kirby said. “I do not want a pilot, I do not want a mechanic,
thinking about the extra cost of delay when they’re thinking about a decision.”
In addition to the increased reimbursement proposal, the
Department of Transportation created an online dashboard designed to display
each airline’s policy when it is deemed responsible for travel disruptions.
Last week, a federal judge ordered Delta Air Lines and
United to face a consumer antitrust class
action lawsuit that accuses the Big Four U.S. airlines of conspiring to
drive up domestic airfares by reducing the number of available seats.
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