OVERSIGHT OF U.S. AIRLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE (115–13) HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION MAY 2, 2017 Printed for the use of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure ( Available online at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/ committee.action?chamber=house&committee=transportation U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 25–311 PDF WASHINGTON : 2017 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE BILL SHUSTER, Pennsylvania, Chairman DON YOUNG, Alaska PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee, ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of Vice Chair Columbia FRANK A. LOBIONDO, New Jersey JERROLD NADLER, New York SAM GRAVES, Missouri EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas DUNCAN HUNTER, California ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland ERIC A. ‘‘RICK’’ CRAWFORD, Arkansas RICK LARSEN, Washington LOU BARLETTA, Pennsylvania MICHAEL E. CAPUANO, Massachusetts BLAKE FARENTHOLD, Texas GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California BOB GIBBS, Ohio DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida STEVE COHEN, Tennessee JEFF DENHAM, California ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky JOHN GARAMENDI, California MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR., Georgia SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania ANDRE´ CARSON, Indiana RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois RICHARD M. NOLAN, Minnesota MARK SANFORD, South Carolina DINA TITUS, Nevada ROB WOODALL, Georgia SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York TODD ROKITA, Indiana ELIZABETH H. ESTY, Connecticut, Vice JOHN KATKO, New York Ranking Member BRIAN BABIN, Texas LOIS FRANKEL, Florida GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana CHERI BUSTOS, Illinois BARBARA COMSTOCK, Virginia JARED HUFFMAN, California DAVID ROUZER, North Carolina JULIA BROWNLEY, California MIKE BOST, Illinois FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida RANDY K. WEBER, SR., Texas DONALD M. PAYNE, JR., New Jersey DOUG LAMALFA, California ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California BRUCE WESTERMAN, Arkansas BRENDA L. LAWRENCE, Michigan LLOYD SMUCKER, Pennsylvania MARK DESAULNIER, California PAUL MITCHELL, Michigan JOHN J. FASO, New York A. DREW FERGUSON IV, Georgia BRIAN J. MAST, Florida JASON LEWIS, Minnesota (II) VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN CONTENTS Page Summary of Subject Matter .................................................................................... iv WITNESSES Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer, United Airlines, accompanied by Scott Kirby, President, United Airlines: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 6 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 86 Responses to questions for the record from the following Representatives: Hon. Mark Meadows of North Carolina .................................................. 100 Hon. Brian Babin of Texas ....................................................................... 101 Hon. Brian J. Mast of Florida .................................................................. 102 Joseph Sprague, Senior Vice President of External Relations, Alaska Airlines: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 6 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 105 Responses to questions for the record from the following Representatives: Hon. Mark Meadows of North Carolina .................................................. 109 Hon. Brian J. Mast of Florida .................................................................. 112 Bob Jordan, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, South- west Airlines: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 6 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 114 Responses to questions for the record from the following Representatives: Hon. Mark Meadows of North Carolina .................................................. 117 Hon. Brian J. Mast of Florida .................................................................. 117 Kerry F. Philipovitch, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, Amer- ican Airlines: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 6 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 120 Responses to questions for the record from the following Representatives: Hon. Mark Meadows of North Carolina .................................................. 126 Hon. Brian J. Mast of Florida .................................................................. 127 William J. McGee, Aviation Consultant, Consumers Union: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 6 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 130 SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RECORD Letter of April 11, 2017, from Hon. Lloyd Smucker, a Representative in Congress from the State of Pennsylvania, to Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer, United Airlines ....................................................................................... 48 ADDITIONS TO THE RECORD ‘‘Essential Reforms Needed to Stop Unjust Airline Passenger Ejections and Bumping’’ and ‘‘Proposed Airline Passenger Bill of Rights 2.0’’ from Paul Hudson, President, FlyersRights.org, submitted by Hon. Michael E. Capuano, a Representative in Congress from the State of Massachusetts ..... 137 (III) VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN iv VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN Insert offset folio 1 here 25311.001 v VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN Insert offset folio 2 here 25311.002 vi VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN Insert offset folio 3 here 25311.003 vii VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN Insert offset folio 4 here 25311.004 viii VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN Insert offset folio 5 here 25311.005 OVERSIGHT OF U.S. AIRLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2017 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, WASHINGTON, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:32 a.m. in room 2167, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Bill Shuster (Chairman of the committee) presiding. Mr. SHUSTER. The committee will come to order. I first want to recognize Mr. LoBiondo for a motion. Mr. LOBIONDO. Pursuant to rule 1(a)1 of the rules, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I move that the chairman be authorized to declare recess during today’s hearing. Mr. SHUSTER. The question is on the motion. All in favor, signify by saying aye. All those opposed, signify by saying nay. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to. I first want to start by thanking all the witnesses for being here today. You have accepted our invitation to testify on this oversight hearing on airline customer service. We invited all the major car- riers to participate, and you were the brave few to be here with us to seek answers regarding the treatment of passengers in the air- line industry. Now, air travel can be a stressful experience for passengers, as many of us on this dais knows. We are passengers, many here are passengers on a twice-a-week basis, flying all over the country. But anyone who flies knows just getting on a plane can be stressful. Getting to the airport, checking in, getting through security, and getting to your gate on time can rattle even the most seasoned traveler. But the whole process starts with the purchase of a ticket. When one of our constituents buys that ticket, there is an expectation that they will be treated fairly and with respect by the airlines and their employees. There is also an expectation that the ticket will be honored, and the airline will get them to their destination safe- ly. I used to be in business. In fact, I was in business for 20 years. And one of the fundamental rules of any successful business is that the customer comes first. And, as I said, I spent 20 years face to face in the retail business with customers, so I know firsthand how a customer is supposed to be treated if you want to be a successful business. (1) VerDate Aug 31 2005 11:29 Nov 13, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 P:\HEARINGS\115\FULL\5-2-20~1\25311.TXT JEAN 2 And so there is something clearly broken when we see pas- sengers being treated the