Lawmakers seek U.S. probe on airline handling of COVID funds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of two congressional committees want a federal probe into whether airlines used government pandemic money to fund pilot buyouts and early retirements that may have fueled current pilot shortages, according to a letter released on Friday.

"As a result of pilot shortages, thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled, wreaking havoc on travel plans for millions of American taxpayers," House of Representatives' Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and Coronavirus Crisis Committee Chairman James Clyburn wrote in a Sept. 8 letter to Treasury Department's inspector general.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu)