Editorial: How Buttigieg Can Improve His Own Poor Performance In Aviation Oversight

Pete Buttigieg has been US transportation secretary since February 2021. His performance on overseeing the country’s aviation system has been, to put it kindly, underwhelming.

Early on, Buttigieg showed little interest in aviation, even though the industry was still deep in the worst crisis it had ever endured because of the pandemic. Ever the politician, Buttigieg instead focused on crowd-pleasing ground transportation issues, such as road, rail and bridge infrastructure improvements.

When he finally turned his attention to aviation, it was not a good turn. Instead of recognizing, learning about and addressing the major issues, including the urgent need for investment in the air traffic control system, Buttigieg focused on attacking US airlines and their leaders.  

Those verbal attacks turned into threats of investigations, retribution, and new, unnecessary regulation.

Buttigieg initially dismissed the role that DOT and FAA had in some of the major disruptions that occurred last year. But he could not wave off responsibility for a string of serious near runway incursions and the NOTAM outage in January that prompted a nationwide ground stop. Buttigieg needs to show clear leadership; stand up, take responsibility and set in place a plan that will address the ATC/FAA issues. A modern, fully staffed and functioning ATC system will have the biggest effect in terms of reducing flight disruptions and raising customer satisfaction.

It's taken two-and-a-half years, but Buttigieg is finally showing signs of understanding what needs to be done. On US news programs in July, he has pledged to hire 1,500 controllers this year and to request funds for 1,800 more next year.

“If we keep pressing airlines on their performance, scheduling and investments, we have to make sure as a country on the public sector side that investments are being made in our airports, in our runways and taxiways and, most important, in our people,” he told CNBC’s Squawk Box program.

US airlines made considerable reductions and changes in their 2023 summer schedules to allow for anticipated ATC system shortages and constraints. Those were hard business decisions because, as Buttigieg acknowledges, travel demand “is off the charts” and post-pandemic airlines desperately need the revenue.

The secretary should follow through on his airport, ATC and people investment commitments. He should also strongly support and enable a nomination for Mike Whitaker as FAA administrator. And he should quit dissing US airline leaders as bad guys who don’t know how to run their businesses. He will achieve a lot more for traveling Americans and the economy if he works with the industry, not against it.