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Home  >  Travel  >  An Open Letter to Sec. Of Transportation Pete Buttigieg
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An Open Letter to Sec. Of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

Kyle Stewart Posted onJuly 25, 2021September 12, 2021 29 Comments
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Among the many travel reforms proposed by President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, here are the ones he is missing. 


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Secretary Buttigieg

For those unfamiliar, here’s some background on the Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg. Colloquially called “Mayor Pete” as he was Mayor of South Bend, Indiana when running for president in the 2020 election, he is known for his approachable nature. As the first candidate from a major party to enter the presidential race openly gay, the graduate of Harvard, Rhodes Scholar, and Navy Reserve veteran won the Iowa Caucuses in his bid to unseat Donald Trump for the White House before losing the primary to President Joe Biden.

He was nominated by (then) President-elect Biden and upon confirmation, moved with his husband, Chasten, to Washington DC to serve as Transportation Secretary.

Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Transportation
Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Transportation, courtesy DoT

Mr. Secretary

Many of the proposed changes to the travel sector are warranted and welcomed. Holding airlines accountable for delivering the bags they charge customers for without impeding their journey amounts to common-sense policy. If wifi doesn’t work to a certain standard during my flight, I should be refunded the fee. Thank you for that.

Those alone do not address serious issues that face your sector. Significant changes that could deliver value and hold transportation companies accountable are already on the books, they just aren’t enforced.

For example, DoT CFR 399.88 states that when an airline makes a mistake in pricing a flight, it should be held to that price in the same way that consumers who mistakenly purchase a ticket. Right now, an airline can sell a ticket and choose not to honor it if they deem it a mistake despite CFR 399.88. The DoT has openly stated it will not enforce the directive they have written.

That policy has been critical over the last 18 months and will be going forward. Just months ago, tickets were on sale to Japan for $200. Was that a mistake or low pricing due to low passenger demand? How should the consumer know the difference? How can a consumer know the difference between an intentionally priced business class fare between Europe and the US for under $1000 roundtrip from a mistake fare?

Resort fees have become a part of the pricing structure for some hotels. However, in order for it to qualify as a fee and not included in the price of the nightly stay, it must be optional. If it’s not optional, it should be a part of the displayed price. Failure to enforce the rules that govern what constitutes a “rate” allows big brands to avoid competition on price and deceive customers while earning as little as $20/night up to $75/night in some cases. A simple directive that enforces what is considered a nightly rate will result in savings for consumers and hold companies using this for nefarious purposes accountable.

Europe has an arrival guarantee that compensates travelers when airlines do not do their job. Outside of weather, if a flight is late and the passenger does not get where they are going when the airline said they would, they are due something for their trouble.

Conclusion

Simple but important reforms could make a lasting impact that benefits consumers in the United States and best of all, new legislation (outside of an arrival guarantee) is not required. A stroke of the pen to enforce what is already on the books would mean accountability for brands and provide a full picture of the cost of a stay. This is an easy win, respectfully, I hope the Secretary acts on rules already in place.

What do you think? Should these rules be enforced? Are there others the Secretary should address?

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About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: sherpa@thetripsherpa.com

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29 Comments

  1. Gravelly Point Guy Reply
    July 25, 2021 at 10:54 am

    Agreed with you on this one, Kyle. This shouldn’t be happening.

  2. BlackHill Reply
    July 25, 2021 at 12:13 pm

    Totally agree with you on this one, Kyle.

  3. Jim Lovejoy Reply
    July 25, 2021 at 12:57 pm

    Agree. He also should remove the mask requirement for vaccinated passengers. An unmasked vaccinated passenger is less likely to spread the virus than a masked unvaccinated passenger.
    If a governor can prohibit the airlines from asking about vaccination status (it’s not clear that they can) then any flights out of that state must have every passenger masked.

    • Aaron Reply
      July 25, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      “An unmasked vaccinated passenger is less likely to spread the virus than a masked unvaccinated passenger.”

      No, they’re just less likely to die from the virus if they catch it.

      • cargocult Reply
        July 25, 2021 at 3:15 pm

        Aaron apparently is an anti-vaxxer misinformation spreader. Unless a vaccine has very low efficacy, a vaccinated person is far less likely to get infected with SARS-CoV-2 and pass it on. Vaccinated folx who still insist on masking are revealing they are anti-vaxxers. Mask mandates do not work. Vaccines are far, far more effective than masking, which is mostly COVID theater to make the government look like it is doing SOMETHING. That sad fact is that whatever the government does often makes a situation worse.

        • Aaron Reply
          July 25, 2021 at 3:27 pm

          “Aaron apparently is an anti-vaxxer misinformation spreader’

          Yeah, no, not really.

          “Unless a vaccine has very low efficacy, a vaccinated person is far less likely to get infected with SARS-CoV-2 and pass it on”

          Not true.

          “Vaccinated folx who still insist on masking are revealing they are anti-vaxxers.”

          That doesn’t even make sense.

          • cargocult
            July 25, 2021 at 5:09 pm

            How is a vaccinated, unmasked person just as or more likely than an unvaccinated, masked person to get infected by SARS-CoV-2? That would imply that masks are more effective at preventing infection than vaccines. The “science” does not show this. There are no RCTs demonstrating mask efficacy at preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread. There is quite a lot of evidence showing that many of the vaccines prevent both infection and severe illness. So, do masks work while vaccines do not? If you think vaccines are so ineffective, why did you get vaccinated in the first place? To virtue signal? Democrats say they are the party that helps black folx, and yet they were the party of the KKK, behind redlining, and destroyed black families with the War on Poverty. You can say whatever you like, anti-vaxxer. You obviously don’t believe vaccines work. Are you eager to coerce your fellow citizens into getting these ineffective vaccines?

          • cargocult
            July 26, 2021 at 12:57 pm

            ‘“An unmasked vaccinated passenger is less likely to spread the virus than a masked unvaccinated passenger.”

            ‘No, they’re just less likely to die from the virus if they catch it.’

            If you think a vaccinated person is at the same risk of getting COVID-19 as an unvaccinated person, you might as well be an anti-vaxxer. What are you saying if not that vaccines are ineffective? Do you understand what vaccine efficacy rates mean? I certainly doesn’t seem like it. A 95% efficacy rate means that if the probability of an unvaccinated person getting sick is 1%, the vaccinated person’s probability is 0.05%. Don’t think that you are “following the science” when you are wallowing in fear. You are free to keep living in fear. You aren’t free to impose that fear on others.

          • UA-NYC
            July 26, 2021 at 7:44 pm

            He’s just an anti-vaxxing troll (who secretly worships T**** but is too scared to admit it)

          • Aaron
            July 28, 2021 at 4:44 am

            @UA-NYC

            Projecting a bit much of your own subconscious onto others, I see…

          • Aaron
            July 28, 2021 at 4:47 am

            @cargocult

            “If you think a vaccinated person is at the same risk of getting COVID-19 as an unvaccinated person, you might as well be an anti-vaxxer.”

            Still not making any sense as usual. We get, you’re an anti-masker. I support people wearing masks, getting vaccinated, and maintaining social distance as much as possible. If anything, you’re a stealth anti-vaxxer, as well as an anti-masker. Clear to everyone, except maybe your sock puppet accounts…

        • UA-NYC Reply
          July 25, 2021 at 8:47 pm

          Ironic coming from the most vocal anti-vaxxer in the comment section of LALF…keep trying to outrun Delta!

          • Aaron
            July 26, 2021 at 12:18 am

            “If you think vaccines are so ineffective, why did you get vaccinated in the first place?”

            I never said vaccines were ineffective. I got vaccinated because I don’t want to die from the virus if I ever catch it.

            “Democrats say they are the party that helps black folx, and yet they were the party of the KKK, behind redlining, and destroyed black families with the War on Poverty.”

            Why is this even being brought up? What does any of this have to do with the issues Kyle brought up in the article?

            I think it’s clear to anyone reading this who is against masks and the vaccine, and it isn’t me.

          • cargocult
            July 26, 2021 at 12:58 pm

            ‘“An unmasked vaccinated passenger is less likely to spread the virus than a masked unvaccinated passenger.”

            ‘No, they’re just less likely to die from the virus if they catch it.’

            If you think a vaccinated person is at the same risk of getting COVID-19 as an unvaccinated person, you might as well be an anti-vaxxer. What are you saying if not that vaccines are ineffective? Do you understand what vaccine efficacy rates mean? I certainly doesn’t seem like it. A 95% efficacy rate means that if the probability of an unvaccinated person getting sick is 1%, the vaccinated person’s probability is 0.05%. Don’t think that you are “following the science” when you are wallowing in fear. You are free to keep living in fear. You aren’t free to impose that fear on others. Try box jumping. Maybe you, too can be an OPM tough guy.

          • Aaron
            July 26, 2021 at 3:19 pm

            @cargocult

            Even for an anti-masker, your logic and facts just don’t add up.

            Also, someone who is vaccinated but still wears a mask isn’t an anti-vaxxer. Try to to keep up with the mature adults, please.

          • cargocult
            July 26, 2021 at 9:57 pm

            Your reading comprehension is abysmal and perhaps you don’t even know what you are writing. You said that a vaccinated person is not a lower risk of getting sick from COVID-19, only at lower risk of getting severely ill. This is not what “the science” says and amounts to crypto-anti-vaxxerism since you are denying that vaccines do what they are stated to do, which is prevent both infection and severe illness.

            https://news.arizona.edu/story/covid-19-vaccine-reduces-severity-length-viral-load-those-who-still-get-infected

          • Aaron
            July 27, 2021 at 5:16 am

            Actually, what I said was:

            “No, they’re just less likely to die from the virus if they catch it.”

            I mean, speaking of bad reading comprehension…but keep pushing your anti-mask agenda.

          • cargocult
            July 27, 2021 at 11:23 am

            “An unmasked vaccinated passenger is less likely to spread the virus than a masked unvaccinated passenger.”

            This is the statement you disagreed with, you functionally illiterate anti-vaxxer. If someone who is vaccinated has vastly reduced chance of even getting infected compared to someone who is unvaccinated, how in the world is it that vaccinated people don’t have a lower chance of transmitting the virus?

          • Aaron
            July 27, 2021 at 3:59 pm

            Still not an anti-vaxxer no matter how many times you repeat it. Not sure how I qualify as an anti-vaxxer since 1) I’ve never told people not to get the vaccine 2) I’m all for vaccinated people to keep wearing masks 3) I myself am fully vaccinated.

            You’re against masks, we get it.

            And people who are vaccinated can still spread the virus. They just have a less chance of death from the virus. Which is why I am all for people getting vaccinated. The sooner the better.

            Not sure how much more clear I can get.

          • cargocult
            July 27, 2021 at 11:08 pm

            At issue is not whether I think mask mandates should exist or not. It is whether you even understand what vaccination accomplishes. You have repeatedly demonstrated that you do not. You may think that you are pro-vaccine, but you don’t even know what you are saying. You’re just a mindless follower. Congratulations on being vaccinated with something you think leaves you just as dangerous a potential disease vector as any other anti-vaxxer. What happened to getting the “jab” so you can save lives other than your own? Wouldn’t that make you more virtuous?

          • Aaron
            July 28, 2021 at 4:50 am

            I know what vaccines accomplish, keeping people who catch the virus from dying as much as possible.

            Getting the jab to save lives works if the majority do the same and keep wearing masks and social distancing as much as possible until enough people are vaccinated, duh.

            Keep promoting your stealth anti-mask and anti-vaccine views, it’s people like you that are keeping this pandemic going on longer than it has to.

          • cargocult
            July 28, 2021 at 8:26 pm

            “I know what vaccines accomplish, keeping people who catch the virus from dying as much as possible.”

            That is not the only thing vaccination accomplishes. Please do some research. I posted a link above. You are ignorant and obviously don’t know it.

            “Getting the jab to save lives works if the majority do the same and keep wearing masks and social distancing as much as possible until enough people are vaccinated, duh.”

            Duh, why does it matter how many people are vaccinated if it doesn’t inhibit spreading the virus any better than other non-pharmaceutical measures? Why are MAGA-types being blamed for the spread of the Delta variant?

          • Aaron
            July 29, 2021 at 5:39 am

            Ah, the anti-vaxxer troll that keeps on going and going and going…

  4. DJ Reply
    July 25, 2021 at 7:10 pm

    Agree with the resort fees, but that certainly doesn’t fall under transportation, maybe commerce?

    • Kyle Stewart Reply
      July 25, 2021 at 7:21 pm

      I thought it could fall into the FTC category as well, but a lot of the reforms they have proposed are pretty loose and reaching so why not make it clear it’s on the agenda?

    • Jerry Reply
      July 25, 2021 at 10:39 pm

      Nothing about hotels is federal. State AGs (AsG?) are probably the ones to target with open letters.

  5. Willem Reply
    July 25, 2021 at 11:49 pm

    How about opening up the gd border?

  6. Eliyahu Reply
    July 26, 2021 at 1:33 pm

    I expected a very different type of post. I was pleasantly surprised

  7. Rohan Reply
    July 26, 2021 at 5:03 pm

    Good points, but you’re assuming that the Biden administration actually gives a damn about the consumer.

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