Biden Urges Airlines Against Price Gouging Amid Hurricane Flight Cancellations
As Hurricane Milton approached Florida, several airports in the state started to close. On Tuesday, airlines canceled hundreds of flights in anticipation of the storm. President Joe Biden and other officials urged airlines not to inflate prices for those evacuating the area.
"I'm calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations and not to engage in price gouging — to just do it on the level," Biden stated after receiving a briefing about the hurricane.
In response to the impending storm, airlines defended their actions, claiming they had implemented fare caps in the days before the hurricane. However, over 700 flights across the U.S. had been canceled by mid-afternoon Tuesday. This was a significant increase compared to the fewer than 200 cancellations reported on Monday.
Tampa International Airport saw about half of Tuesday's cancellations, forcing it to close its doors earlier as Hurricane Milton approached. Many travelers filled the airport on Monday, hoping to secure one of the few remaining flights away from the storm's predicted path.
One traveler, Cerina McQuillan, was trying to book a flight to New York for her 17-year-old daughter. Initially, she found a one-way ticket for about $200, but the airline's website soon crashed.
"All of a sudden, it went back on again, and the flights quadrupled in price. It went up to like $750 within a matter of seconds," she lamented. "There were prices even as high as $1,000 for one leg. So wrong! So wrong!"
Jeremy Bingaman, a podcaster, shared a screenshot of exorbitant ticket prices on social media. He noted that United Airlines flights from Tampa to St. Louis were priced at $2,351 for refundable economy tickets. In contrast, Southwest Airlines offered tickets for $399, while American Airlines showed fares around $600 to Chicago.
"Hey (at)united, what's up with the price gouging in Tampa for people trying to evacuate? ... shady," Bingaman posted on X, which garnered over 4,000 shares.
However, it's important to note that none of the highlighted United flights took off since they were scheduled after the airport had suspended operations. United spokesperson Leslie Scott clarified that the posted itinerary included two connections and noted the flight never occurred.
"We implemented fare caps on Sunday. Since then, the average price paid for a one-way, economy-class ticket to our hubs from the impacted Florida markets was below $500," Scott explained.
Delta Airlines stated that it capped fares but did not disclose specific figures. American Airlines added 2,000 extra seats for flights departing Orlando on Tuesday night, following a similar increase in Tampa and Sarasota on Monday.
Hannah Walden, a spokesperson for Airlines for America, reassured travelers that large U.S. airlines "are working diligently to accommodate customers impacted by Hurricane Milton." She noted that many airlines are allowing passengers to adjust their travel plans if necessary. "The safety of our passengers and employees is our top priority," she added.
Airlines often raise ticket prices closer to departure dates, even under normal circumstances. This practice can blur the lines between price gouging and standard revenue maximization. Biden did not provide specific instances of price gouging but confirmed that the U.S. Transportation Department is monitoring airline prices closely.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed concerns on X, stating, "The Department takes all allegations of airline price-gouging seriously. We are keeping a close eye on flights in and out of areas affected by Hurricane Milton to make sure airlines are not charging excessively increasing fares."
Travel expert William McGee of the American Economic Liberties Project highlighted the growing frequency of price increases during emergencies. "We've seen this with growing frequency in the deregulated era in response to natural disasters and terrorist attacks," he noted. McGee encouraged consumers facing price hikes to file complaints with the Transportation Department and share their experiences on social media.
Flight cancellations were expected to exceed 1,600 by Wednesday when Hurricane Milton was projected to land on Florida's central Gulf coast. St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced its closure after the last flight on Tuesday, with plans to reopen on Friday. Orlando International Airport was set to shut down on Wednesday morning, while Melbourne Orlando International Airport would stop flights until Friday.
Travelers struggling to leave Florida expressed frustration over high prices, canceled flights, and poor customer service. John Fedor, a Pennsylvania roofer, shared his family's ordeal of trying to return home after a Caribbean cruise. After missing their flight from Tampa, Fedor described their experience with Frontier Airlines as "horribly" unhelpful. "I still don't know how we're going to get home. We don't know what day we're getting home," he said. "This probably has been the worst vacation of my life."
As the storm approaches, many travelers are uncertain and frustrated, hoping for fair pricing and reliable airline service during this critical time.
Read More: Southwest Outage Disrupts Flights Just Before Hurricane Milton Hits
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