Bud Shuster: “The amendment is a re-regulation of the airlines that was soundly defeated in the Transportation and Infrastructure…”

“The amendment is a re-regulation of the airlines that was soundly defeated in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. It would force airlines to interline, which refers to agreements among airlines to carry each other's passengers. Most airlines already have interline agreements with other airlines, and the freedom to do so is important to preserve. Forcing all airlines unwilling into such deals will have unintended consequences. Customers will be punished and forced to bear the burden of the service fares of other airlines. The problems caused by this amendment would be most acute in smaller communities that have few flights per day. H.R. 4 includes provisions requiring air carriers to prominently disclose to passengers what services will be offered in the event of widespread disruption. The underlying bill contains a number of other consumer protections that are widely supported by stakeholders and Members alike. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue, but I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”