Senate Democrats and Republicans found agreement on a new $105 billion FAA reauthorization bill on Thursday.
The legislation centers on addressing safety concerns at airports and onboard aircrafts, along with shoring up the rights of consumers.
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey heralded several pieces of the bill, including a ban on family seating fees, ensuring minors can sit by their parents and requiring airlines to provide cash refunds automatically for canceled or significantly delayed flights.
“The FAA bill makes it the responsibilities of the airline, not tired stressed-out passengers, to make sure travelers get the refunds they deserve,” Markey said.
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Travelers we spoke with are encouraged by the mood. Some told us a refund would be “awesome” while others commented on recent experiences with keeping their family together on a flight.
“This flight I paid to make sure we were together, so that increased our travel by almost $200,” said one traveler.
But industry experts say airlines have already started taking these steps.
“There were already policies that airlines had voluntarily been putting in place that get rid of family fees. Obviously that’s bad public relations for them,” said aviation journalist David Slotnick.
Even so, any congressional action on aviation is welcome.
“The FAA authorization has been debated for years now, it’s been vitally needed, a lot of back and forth over what to include,” said Slotnick, “It’s great to see the process come to fruition.”
Markey agrees, also pointing to safety provisions built into the bill.
“We have to provide better training, increased training but we also have to ensure that people have the vigilance who work at the airports,” said Senator Markey.
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the reauthorization and the House is expected to do the same in the days ahead.
