[Lauren Taylor]

DELTA’S CEO ED BASTIAN SAID WEDNESDAY HE’S LOOKING FORWARD TO PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP GETTING BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE BECAUSE HIS APPROACH TO REGULATION COULD BE “A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.”

BASTIAN SPOKE WITH REPORTERS BEFORE DELTA’S INVESTOR DAY IN ATLANTA,SAYING UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY HAS SEEN A LEVEL OF GOVERNMENTAL “OVERREACH.”

HE CREDITED TRUMP’S PLAN “TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, THE BUREAUCRACY THAT EXISTS IN GOVERNMENT, THE LEVEL OF OVERREACH THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY.”

OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THE US TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A NUMBER OF RULES FOR THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY – AIMED AT PROTECTING AIRLINE PASSENGERS – INCLUDING AUTOMATIC CASH REFUNDS FOR CANCELED FLIGHTS AND GETTING RID OF SURPRISE JUNK FEES WHEN PURCHASING A TICKET TO FLY.

IT’S UNCLEAR WHICH POLICY OR POLICIES BASTIAN CONSIDERS “OVERREACH”.

IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, SEVERAL MAJOR US AIRLINES –INCLUDING DELTA– FILED SUIT AGAINST THE US TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT OVER THE JUNK FEES RULE.

THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SAID CONSUMERS ARE PAYING MORE THAN $543 MILLION IN FEES EVERY YEAR – AND THAT AIRLINES ARE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THOOSE HIDDEN FEES.

THE USDOT IS ALSO INVESTIGATING DELTA’S RESPONSE TO A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OUTAGE IT EXPERIENCED IN JULY WHEN THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED.

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG SAID AT THE TIME THE PROBE WAS “TO ENSURE THE AIRLINE IS FOLLOWING THE LAW AND TAKING CARE OF ITS PASSENGERS DURING CONTINUED WIDESPREAD DISRUPTIONS.”

CONSUMER ADVOCATES WORRY THAT THE INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL ROLL BACK CONSUMER PROTECTIONS PUT IN PLACE BY THE BIDEN-ADMINSITRATION.