The United States Senate today confirmed Pete Buttigieg as U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary for the Biden administration, and travel industry leaders are already lining up to offer their congratulations.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow applauded the confirmation, saying: “The Department of Transportation will play a pivotal role in safely restarting domestic and international air travel, and Secretary Buttigieg’s pragmatic approach to transportation policy will ensure we can do it in a way that protects public health and ensures economic growth can safely resume.”
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Airlines for America President (A4A) and CEO Nicholas E. Calio also voiced his approval, saying in a statement: “Secretary Buttigieg has a proven track record, as Mayor, of successfully shepherding numerous complex transportation projects while partnering with industry in a productive manner.”
Calio went on to say, “we look forward to working with Secretary Buttigieg to continue prioritizing the safety and health of passengers and employees as our industry and the nation looks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic—the most devastating crisis the airline industry has ever experienced. We also will welcome collaboration with Secretary Buttigieg and the DOT team to prioritize safety, sustainability, modernization and the quality jobs that this industry supports.”
Delta Air Lines’ CEO Ed Bastian also released his reaction to Buttigieg’s confirmation: “On behalf of Delta’s 75,000 employees, I’d like to congratulate Pete Buttigieg on his confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. We look forward to working with Secretary Buttigieg and his team in the weeks and months ahead as we position the U.S. airline industry to help lead our nation’s economic recovery.”
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes wrote in a statement: “JetBlue congratulates Pete Buttigieg on his Senate confirmation to become the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Secretary Buttigieg brings to the role a strong understanding of the importance of infrastructure investment, which we’re hopeful will include modernizing the nation’s air traffic control system, a top priority for JetBlue.”
Hayes added, “We also welcome President Biden’s immediate focus on climate change and look forward to collaborating with the Secretary on opportunities that lie ahead. And with considerable and significant challenges still facing the airline industry amid the pandemic recovery, we’ll also look to the Secretary for support to ensure we emerge in a position to help power the economy when the crisis is over.”