Rep. Mace proposes bill that would force Buttigieg to fly commercial until FAA chaos is resolved

A U.S. representative this week offered a novel political proposal to the air travel crisis currently gripping the United States: force the man overseeing it to fly coach. 

In what she touted as the first bill of the 188th Congress, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace said in a press release  that the "Commercial Cabins for Cabinet Members Act" would "would require the Secretary of Transportation to only fly commercial, just like every other American," until issues surrounding the Federal Aviation Administration and air travel more generally are resolved. 

Those problems have included this week a major FAA computer glitch that grounded hundreds and hundreds of flights around the country, along with the cancellation of nearly 16,000 Southwest flights just ahead of the new year.

“Until we see the Southwest Airlines debacle investigated; until the FAA software glitches are fixed; and until we complete the FAA reauthorization later this year, the Secretary of Transportation should be required to fly commercial just like everyone else," Mace said in her announcement. 

A Department of Transportation spokesman, meanwhile, told Fox News that Buttigieg flies mostly commercial already, with 111 of 129 of his flights as secretary having been on commercial craft "given that it is the cheapest way to fly," according to Fox.