Airline executives are criticized by Josh Hawley for providing a 'awful' flying experience to Americans.

On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., criticized airline executives, claiming their service has negatively impacted the American people.

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations interrogated senior executives from American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines regarding their companies' imposition of higher fees on customers.

In late November, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, announced a hearing of the subcommittee he chairs, coinciding with the release of the committee's PSI Majority Report. The report revealed how major airlines have been using ancillary or junk fees to increase their revenue, resulting in higher costs for consumers, as stated by Blumenthal.

Hawley stated that it is a "disaster" for Americans to travel with their airlines, and he expressed his frustration with the executives.

"Isn't it true that flying on your airlines is a disaster, as evidenced by the general attitude of all of you here?" the senator inquired. "I'm astonished by the widespread sentiment that flying on your airlines is a terrible experience. As a father of three young children, I can attest to the fact that nobody enjoys flying in your airlines. It's a disaster."

Hawley narrated a tale of his family's flight experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You impose fees on people without their knowledge and harass them relentlessly," he stated, before targeting an American Airlines executive. "I will never forget Mr. Johnson, during the COVID pandemic when an attendant on your airline threatened my wife because our then-five-year-old son's mask had slipped. At the time, we were all required to wear those ridiculous masks, and his mask had slipped below his nose. The flight attendant approached my wife and informed her that if she did not keep the mask over my son's nose at all times during the 4-hour flight, she would personally ensure that my wife was banned from flying."

Over and over, families have experienced this terrible thing. Your attitude today seems to be "Well, devil may care, there's nothing we can do about it." However, I believe we are going to take action about it.

In the same hearing, Blumenthal made a similar critical remark, stating that "Airlines now consider their customers as mere walking piggy banks to be milked for every possible penny."

Bipartisan outrage at airlines was expressed by Blumenthal after the hearing.

"The intensity of anger and irritation on both sides of the aisle was quite striking," he remarked.

Planet Chronicle' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.