First Sean Duffy Wanted You To Dress Fancy For The Airport… Now, He Wants You To Eat Your Greens On The Plane
- In between performing pull ups at a press event at DCA Airport on Monday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushed families to eat "healthy, nutritional food" while traveling.
In between performing pull-ups in front of bemused journalists on Monday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged airline passengers to eat healthier food during a press event at Washington National Airport, which was about the agency’s mission to “make travel family friendly again.”
But Duffy isn’t just putting all the responsibility on stressed parents, as he is also pledging $1 billion of taxpayer money to build airport gyms, children’s play areas, and nursing booths at airports across the United States.
Duffy’s initiative follows criticism of his pyjama ban
Last month, Duffy stole the limelight when he declared that Americans were personally responsible for heralding in the ‘golden age of air travel’ by ditching the pyjamas and putting on their best clothes before heading to the airport.
The comments certainly made for good headlines, although Duffy also heard the feedback loud and clear: What is the government going to do to improve the travel experience for American families?
On Monday, Duffy presented his answer to those complaints at a press conference at DCA airport alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. where he announced a $1 billion investment to improve airport facilities for families.
“From needing more dedicated spaces for young children and exercise equipment, to finding places for mothers to nurse their children, to staying fit on the go, or struggling to find more healthy food options, the Trump Administration is committed to making every stage of the travel journey more seamless,” Duffy explained.
So, what might this investment look like in practice? Airports will be invited to apply for funds from the $1 billion pot to carry out initiatives, like:
- Reconfiguring TSA security checkpoints with special family screening lanes
- Creating children’s play areas and exercise areas
- More nursing mothers’ rooms or pods
- Sensory rooms for children with special needs
“We have $1 billion in funding for grant programs to make the experience better in airports… and it’s pretty wide open on what airports want to ask for a grant,” Duffy explained.
“Maybe I want a workout area where people might get some blood flowing, doing some pullups or step-ups in the airport.”
DOT pushes airlines to improve the passenger experience
Along with pledging taxpayer dollars, Duffy has also called on airlines to explain what they are doing to improve the passenger experience.
With shrinking seats and increasingly restrictive travel policies that seemingly punish passengers for the most innocent of mistakes, many passengers ponder whether they should really have all the responsibility for ‘making travel great again.’
Duffy’s call to the airlines is a response to that criticism, but it remains to be seen how the airlines will themselves respond. There’s no doubt that access to affordable air travel has been massively improved over the last few decades, so don’t be surprised if airlines tell the Trump administration, as diplomatically as possible, that they are on the right track without any further interference.
Give us access to healthier food
Don’t be surprised if the only concession that airlines are willing to offer is a promise to improve access to fresh and healthy food choices, both at the airport and in the air.
That would certainly be welcomed by Duffy, who has recently complained about the reliance that many airlines have on shelf-stable ultra-processed foods
Bottom line
The Department of Transportation is opening a $1 billion grant program for airports across the United States to access funding to build family-friendly spaces in their concourses.
At the same time, the DOT is calling on airports and airlines to make it easier for Americans to access fresh and healthy food while they are on the go.
