U.S. Senate passes sweeping aviation safety, consumer bill. What to know

Emily Barnes, New York State Team
·3 min read

Increased consumer protections may be on the way for airline passengers after a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill was passed by the Senate last week.

Sen. Chuck Schumer announced the Senate's passage of the five-year, $105 billion bill Friday.

"It's a win-win-win: a win for our Upstate NY airports, a win for safety and win for passengers across America," Schumer said Friday. "Aviation safety has been front of mind for millions of Americans recently and this F.A.A. bill will help give people the peace of mind they deserve, all while making a smoother travel experience."

Here's what to know about the increased consumer protections and what else is included in the proposed bill.

How air travelers would be better protected

Increased consumer protections may be on the way for New York airline passengers after a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill was passed by the Senate last week.
Increased consumer protections may be on the way for New York airline passengers after a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill was passed by the Senate last week.

In addition to prohibiting airlines from charging fees for families to sit together, through the proposed bill, consumers will be granted these additional protections:

  • Ensures passengers get money back after airlines cancel or extensively delay flights. Refunds will be required if domestic flights are delayed three hours and if international flights are delayed six hours.

  • Requires airline ticket credits to be good for at least five years

  • Increases transparency and ensures consumers get their questions answered by requiring airlines to provide free, 24/7 access to customer service representatives by phone, live chat or text message.

  • Mandates airlines establish policies regarding reimbursement for lodging, transportation and meal costs incurred due to a flight cancellation or significant delay caused by the air carrier.

  • Holds airlines accountable for consumer violations. The bill triples the U.S. Department of Transportation's statutory civil penalty for consumer violations from $25,000 per violation to $75,000.

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What else is included in the bill?

The bill would require the FAA to increase hiring of air traffic controller staff to close staffing gaps, protect the 1500 rule, which requires pilots to have at least 1,500 flight hours before they can work as a certified Airline Transport Pilot and become a First Officer for an airline, and implement a zero-tolerance policy for near misses, runway incursions and surface safety risks.

Billions of dollars in funding are also included in the bill, which will go toward:

  • The National Transportation Safety Board

  • Safety programs like aircraft certification reform and air carrier oversight

  • Revitalization of airports

  • Enhancing airfield safety

  • Helping small community airports like the Greater Binghamton Airport in the Southern Tier and the Adirondack Regional Airport near Saranac Lake

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What's next?

The bill is currently waiting to be voted on by the House of Representatives and President Joe Biden, which should happen this week.

If passed, some provisions would immediately go into effect while others would need to be implemented by the U.S. Department of Transportation through their rules making process, according to a representative of Schumer's office.

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Barnes at ebarnes@gannett.com or on Twitter @byemilybarnes.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: U.S. Senate passes sweeping aviation safety, consumer bill. What to know