Big airlines spent more than $16 million to lobby Congress and federal agencies last year | Democracy, elections and voting at Democracy Chronicles

WASHINGTON — Big airlines spent more than $16 million to lobby Congress and federal agencies last year. The city of Wichita, Kan., spent $80,000 and its allies spent some more, but their combined firepower was nowhere near that of the airlines. The airlines’ lineup included three former U.S. senators, one of them a former Republican leader.…