Washington, D.C. — Following the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) release of its “Unified Agenda” of airline regulatory actions, after a bizarrely quiet comment process, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.

“The DOT’s agenda reads like it was copy-pasted directly from Airlines for America, the lobbying arm of the largest carriers,” said William J. McGee, Senior Fellow for Aviation & Travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. “At a time when most Americans are already dissatisfied with the state of air travel, the DOT is taking marching orders from deep-pocked lobbyists and ushering in a new era of flying dystopia. Even by just proposing these rules, before they become official policy, the DOT is telling airlines they can deny refunds, hide fees, and strand passengers without consequence. The United States lags much of the world when it comes to passenger rights, but the largest carriers now want to eliminate even the most basic protections.”

“Americans may disagree on the proper role of government, but no one voted for canceled refunds, hidden fees, and zero accountability,” added McGee. “This agenda makes government of, by, and for lobbyists — not the people.”

Earlier this week, McGee wrote a column for Frommer’s that brought national attention to the greedy 93-page “wish list” filed with the DOT by Airlines for America, which represents the largest U.S. carriers and spent $5.7 million lobbying in 2024. Much of this rulemaking process has been quietly carried out with no press releases and little media attention until now.

As horrifying as A4A’s list was, dozens of rules in the DOT’s outrageous agenda read as if they were written by A4A’s own lawyers:

• Weakens the cash refund rule introduced last year by Secretary Pete Buttigieg in order “to reduce regulatory burdens on airlines”
• Weakens the “full fare” transparency rule requiring transparency of government taxes and fees
• Rescinds Buttigieg’s junk fee disclosure rule, thereby preventing travelers from learning a flight’s full cost prior to booking
• Rescinds the essential services rule that would require hotels, meals, and compensation for flight disruptions caused by airlines, which is standard practice around the world
• Imposes unspecified “updates” on rules for disabled travel

In July a coalition of AELP and numerous consumer organizations were told that DOT Secretary Sean Duffy would not meet to hear their concerns, joining Elaine Chao during the first Trump administration as the only Secretaries to refuse to even discuss passenger complaints. However, it’s clear A4A and other airline lobbyists have access to Duffy, so it’s no surprise A4A said it was “encouraged” by the DOT’s review.

While the DOT’s actions are part of the larger Trump initiative to reduce existing regulations, DOT protections are critical for consumers because they have fewer rights with airlines than any other industry due to airline deregulation’s federal preemption clause that prohibits state courts, legislatures, and attorneys general from overseeing airlines.

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.