Opinion: Blumenthal’s attacks on flying economy will backfire. ‘Clean up a mess.’

This op-ed originally appeared in the New Haven Register.

Last month, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called for a federal investigation into the airline sector after several carriers raised fees to make up for spiking fuel costs. It’s a familiar playbook from Connecticut’s senior leader who has a history of misplacing blame. Rather than scapegoating the private sector, the government should prioritize getting its own house in order. 

Energy price volatility is clearly a byproduct of disruptions related to the Iran war. Airlines operate under thin margins and have no choice but to adjust ticket prices to reflect macroeconomic realities. It’s a similar problem faced by gas stations with crude oil prices or supermarkets navigating higher transportation costs. 

Is every sector exploiting supply chain disruptions to harm consumers as Blumenthal seems to be suggesting? Decidedly no. 

Blumenthal’s constituency has seen this movie before — and like today, it was a box office flop. Under the Biden administration, he championed a report that labeled optional travel charges —from seat choice to carry-on bags — as “junk fees.” But the framing has a glaring problem. It critiques the very operational mechanism that benefits modern flyers. 

What critics wrongly call “junk fees” are a feature — rather than a defect — of a system that has made flying more accessible than ever before. Before the airline industry was deregulated in 1978, flying was a luxury only the ultra-wealthy could afford. Prices for domestic flights often exceeded $1,000 when adjusted for inflation.

Deregulation changed that by allowing airlines to unbundle their pricing. Instead of forcing every passenger into a one-size-fits-all fare, carriers began offering lower base ticket prices with optional add-ons. This flexible pricing model is why the cost to fly has dropped like a rock since the free market took the reins — a trend that continues today despite short term hikes driven by geopolitics. Inflation-adjusted prices have fallen nearly 40% since 1995, according to federal data. 

Yes, shrimp towers and free-flowing champagne in coach may be a relic of the past. But today, nearly 90% of Americans have flown commercially compared with just two-thirds in the 1970s. If Blumenthal’s goal is to make travel more accessible, he should be applauding this a la carte model, not jousting with it.

For policymakers who are serious about improving the passenger experience, there are far more consequential issues to address. Outdated aviation infrastructure and a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers do more damage to travelers than temporary fuel surcharges — often causing rolling delays and flight cancellations. 

At Connecticut’s busiest airport, Bradley International, controller staffing sits short of federal targets. When one employee calls out sick or faces a family emergency, there’s little backup to keep operations running smoothly. Meanwhile, ancient air traffic control equipment causes up to 1,000 aviation infrastructure-related disruptions each week nationwide. 

The Trump administration is working to address these vulnerabilities but needs additional funding from Congress to finish the job. 

Rather than attempting to micromanage flying economics, Blumenthal and his colleagues need to clean up a mess leftover from years of government neglect. Rebuilding the aviation workforce and supporting modernization efforts would deliver tangible benefits to travelers from Connecticut to California — without undermining an affordable pricing model that has cleared the skies for all Americans.

Jackson Shedelbower is the executive director of the Center for Transportation Policy.