US airlines are on the war path. The finger is pointed at the proposal by US President Joe Biden and his Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg, who intend to make economic compensation for delayed or canceled flights compulsory (previously on a voluntary basis): that is the extra costs that customers are forced to pay, such as overnight stays and various journeys.

According to the International Air Transport Association (Iata), which represents about 300 airlines worldwide, the compensation proposal introduced by the Biden administration would not benefit customers, nor would it lead to an improvement in airline operations, but would only push airlines to raise fares, creating a further impact on consumers.

"The airlines work hard to get their passengers to their destinations on time. They do their best to minimize the impact of any delays. Airlines already have financial incentives to carry their passengers to their destinations on schedule, while the management of delays and cancellations is already very costly for airlines". Furthermore, the rule "could raise unrealistic expectations among travelers that are unlikely to be met", said Willie Walsh, Iata's director general.

It's echoed by the Airlines for America (A4A) association, which represents the main US companies: "One of the biggest impacts on flight operations in 2022 is due to bad weather, which caused more than half of flight cancellations". Instead, an "answer to FAA's personnel shortage" should be given.