Airline passengers in the United States are facing diminishing protections as the Department of Transportation (DOT) under Secretary Sean Duffy moves to ease regulations that had previously safeguarded consumers. Since Duffy’s appointment in January 2025, the department has taken multiple steps that consumer advocates say favor the airline industry at the expense of passengers’ rights.
Key changes include rolling back rules designed to increase transparency around pricing and fees. In June 2026, the DOT abandoned a Biden-era regulation that required airlines to disclose additional charges, such as bag fees and ticket change costs, alongside the full fare during booking. The department also proposed relaxing a 15-year-old requirement obliging airlines to display the total ticket price more prominently than separate fees and taxes. Critics warn these shifts could lead to more confusion for travelers about the true cost of flights.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, voiced strong opposition to the pricing proposal, arguing it would allow airlines to advertise misleading fares that conceal mandatory extra fees. He warned that consumers would have to expend more effort to uncover the full price. The DOT, however, defended its approach, stating the adjustments aim to prevent misleading information by allowing government taxes and fees to be displayed on equal footing with the total price.
The department has also scaled back initiatives addressing other passenger concerns. It dropped preliminary efforts to guarantee families seating proximity without additional charges and to require airlines to pay cash compensation for significant flight disruptions. Enforcement of a rule expanding rights for disabled travelers, including stricter penalties for mishandling wheelchairs, has been repeatedly delayed after airlines sued over the regulation.
Under the previous administrations of Transportation Secretaries Ray LaHood, Anthony Foxx, and Pete Buttigieg, the DOT regularly imposed fines to hold airlines accountable for violations including delays, false advertising, and mistreatment of passengers. Since Duffy’s tenure began, no fines have been issued. The department has even waived at least $25 million in fines owed by airlines, including notable penalties against American Airlines and Southwest.
Critics say this shift represents a stark departure from prior enforcement practices. Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, called it a “wholesale reversal” of consumer protections, while other advocates described it as a “dark period” for passengers. Meanwhile, the DOT maintains that fines are just one enforcement tool and emphasizes efforts to address systemic issues causing travel disruptions.
Concerns have also emerged regarding Duffy’s previous lobbying work for airlines. Several Democratic lawmakers, including Representative Jerrold Nadler, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Senator Blumenthal, requested an investigation into whether Duffy’s regulatory moves unduly favor the airline industry due to potential conflicts of interest. The department acknowledged Duffy’s prior role lobbying on international market access for U.S. carriers but defended his current regulatory decisions as impartial and in the public interest.
Passenger advocates link the loosening of regulations with deteriorating travel conditions. A recent nonprofit report highlighted that 2025 marked the worst on-time performance for U.S. airlines since 2014, with more delays than any year since 2010. The DOT is monitoring 90 tarmac delay incidents for potential violations, but enforcement actions remain limited.
The evolving DOT stance signals a shift toward a more industry-friendly regulatory environment, prompting concerns that travelers’ interests may receive less protection amid ongoing challenges in the airline sector.