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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Government watchdog Acccountable.US today raised red flags about the conflicts of interest involving President-elect Trump’s newly announced pick for U.S. Transportation Secretary, Fox Business host and former Congressman Sean Duffy. 

In February 2020, The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies hired Sean Duffy and three other BGR lobbyists to lobby in “​support for US Open Skies policy.” The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies’ membership includes American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, which all joined in a May 2024 lawsuit alongside industry trade group Airlines for America against the Biden Department of Transportation’s rulemaking to “protect airline passengers from surprise junk fees when purchasing a ticket.” 

“

Sean Duffy would bring serious baggage to the Transportation Department with his ties to the same airlines now suing to overturn rulemaking to protect surprise fees. Putting a conflicted airline lobbyist in charge of the agency that oversees the industry is unfortunately just a taste of the Trump administration’s coming agenda of putting his friends and their corporate special interests ahead of American consumers.”

Accountable.US Executive Director Tony Carrk

Unsurprisingly, Airlines for America, the largest airline trade group, was quick to “congratulate” Duffy on his nomination. Accountable.US previously found that the group and six of its major airline members spent over $26 million while lobbying against the Biden Department of Transportation’s (DOT) efforts to rein in airline junk fees after taking over $40 billion in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 aid. 

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