Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg frequently uses a private jet to fly across the country while commercial aviation continues to face delays.
The head of the Department of Transportation has flown on a taxpayer-funded private jet at least 18 times since taking office last year, per a report from Fox News.
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Buttigieg has flown to Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Nevada, among other states, on government-funded private jets.
Under Buttigieg’s leadership, the Transportation Department has emphasized carbon emissions reductions as part of President Joe Biden’s climate goals. Using private jets as opposed to flying on commercial airlines uses more emissions.
Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who was Buttigieg’s predecessor, received criticism for her use of taxpayer-funded jets to fly to her events during her tenure.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation said Buttigieg “mostly travels by commercial airline” and “has directed that travel and logistical decisions be grounded in efficient and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.”
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“Given that commercial air travel is usually the cheapest way for the Secretary and his staff to travel, 108 of the 126 flights for DOT trips he has taken have been on commercial airlines,” the spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “However, there are some cases where it is more efficient and/or less expensive for the Secretary and accompanying personnel to fly on a 9-seater FAA plane rather than commercial flights. Use of the FAA plane in limited, specific cases has helped to maximize efficiency and save thousands of taxpayer dollars.”
Commercial flights saw higher rates of being delayed or canceled since Buttigieg became secretary because the United States has gradually returned to travel as the pandemic waned. Flight delays and cancellations were so frequent in the summer that the Department of Transportation was directing angry consumers to its website for guidance.
