This week, Democrats highlighted their theme of “joy” at their convention in Chicago. However, the sentiment of joy seems distant for Americans facing a 14 percent increase in airfare under the Biden-Harris administration.
Data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows that airfare costs have risen by 14 percent since President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris assumed office in January 2021. This increase comes as Harris, now positioned as the leading candidate, has moved into the spotlight, disregarding the preferences of the 14 million voters who supported Biden.
In March 2022, one year into the Biden-Harris administration, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian warned that airlines’ U.S. ticket prices could increase between five and 10 percent, coinciding with the price of oil climbing.
The extra fuel costs comprised “probably about $25 on a ticket, that could be anywhere between 5% to 10% at these high levels of oil … and international [flights] will be a bit higher than that,” Bastian told the BBC at that time.
Later that same year, the price of a one-way ticket between the two major metropolitan areas in California skyrocketed to $700.
Biden claimed, “You know, from turkey, to air travel, to a tank of gas, costs went down. They went down.” However, Breitbart News reported that these claims were not accurate.
Breitbart News’s Business Digest highlights Kamala Harris's role in shaping these inflationary policies that have impacted American families. Harris played a crucial role in passing some of the most ambitious, and arguably inflationary, spending bills in recent history, including the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. While the plan was intended as a lifeline for the nation, it contributed significantly to the inflationary pressures currently being felt.
Despite global factors like supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine, and labor shortages, the inflation we see today has, in many ways, been exacerbated by domestic policies. Harris, who has been integral in these policy decisions, now faces skepticism as she campaigns on addressing price gouging and offering relief. Critics argue that her promises ring hollow given her role in creating the current economic conditions.
In contrast, former President Donald Trump offers a different vision, pledging to “end the era of inflation, mayhem, and misery” and directly linking the current inflationary issues to Harris. Trump questioned, “Kamala has declared that tackling inflation will be a day one priority. Think about it. For her, day one was three-and-a-half years ago. She says her plan is going to bring down prices. Why didn’t you do it? You’ve been there three-and-a-half years.”
On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to Americans that if elected, “incomes will soar, your savings will grow, young people will be able to afford a home, and we’ll bring back the American dream better and stronger than ever before.” He promised to reverse much of the damage caused by the Biden-Harris administration by reducing regulatory burdens, cutting energy prices, and revitalizing domestic supply chains.