There may soon be new rules for airlines on issues such as seat size and pitch, standards for service animals and work shifts for cabin crews. Senate and House leaders have cleared a compromise bill that continues funding of the Federal Aviation Administration and gives it new mandates. The old bill expires tomorrow, and leaders believe the bill will pass and be signed by then.
Key consumer features include a mandate that the FAA establish minimum standards for seats (although it could set standards tighter than existing seats) and that it investigate the size and number of lavatories and whether they are sufficiently accessible. The bill also bans involuntary bumping of any passenger who is already aboard, and requires airlines to more explicitly state their policies on delayed or canceled flights.
However, it does not include provisions to regulate or even investigate whether airline added fees are 'reasonable and proportional' and doesn't require maintaining the rule that airlines must include all added items early in the ticketing process so consumers can know the full price for comparisons.
Also in the bill: adding more PreCheck facilities, requiring nursing rooms in large airports, mandating 10-hour rest periods between shifts for cabin crew, and increasing penalties for passengers who interfere with flight crews.
Comments (2)