HARTFORD – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement in response to a report by The New York Times that airlines have dramatically increased airfares following disrupted rail service between Philadelphia and New York after Tuesday night’s fatal derailment of a New York-bound Amtrak train. According to an article in The New York Times, a flight from La Guardia Airport to Washington, D.C. was priced significantly higher than usual, at a whopping $2,309.

“These reports raise questions about whether airlines are increasing prices to unjustifiable levels after this week’s devastating train derailment in Philadelphia. If this drastic and sudden increase in ticket prices is an effort to make money from desperate travelers impacted by this tragedy, it’s simply unacceptable,” Murphy said. “The airlines should know that they’re under the microscope as those in the Northeast struggle to cope with the fallout of the crash. I will follow up with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to ensure that airlines are not gouging travelers whose trains were cancelled.”