Airlines for America has said competition in the industry would be undermined by government proposals such as banning airlines from charging parents to sit near children and giving passengers more room to sue carriers.
The group, which is made up of major US carriers such as Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines, accused Pete Buttigieg, the US government's transport secretary, of proposing legislation that could "eliminate decades of successful policies that have transformed air travel, allowing the vast majority of Americans to take flight".
Buttigieg, who has been criticised for not punishing Southwest Airlines for cancelling thousands of Christmas flights, suggested to business news broadcaster CNBC that European-style regulations around consumer protection could be on the cards for the US, after lawmakers on January 31 proposed legislation requiring passengers to be refunded for delayed flights, ban airlines from reducing seat sizes and give consumers extra options to sue carriers.
"Everything has to be on the table," he said, adding "I think this is also a good time for that conversation to happen in Congress. We’ve got FAA reauthorisation coming up. Aviation is going to be on everybody’s mind on Capitol Hill, and look, we’ve had a business model that has seen more and more consolidation, more and more, you know, for lack of a better of term, nickel and dime’ing".
Airlines for America, which counts Southwest as a member, said "there is no evidence of a market failure or unfair or deceptive practices."
"The proposed policies in a similar Bill of Rights effort – instituting government-controlled pricing, establishing a private right of action and dictating private sector contracts – would decrease competition and inevitably lead to higher ticket prices and reduced services to small and rural communities," it added.