FAA Reauthorization Bill amendments added to during the House Transportation and Infrastructure markup today show a disregard for the American public.
The FAA Reauthorization Bill started as consumer-friendly and one that most consumer organizations could support. However, during the markup, the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee voted down an amendment that would have directed the FAA to develop rules for personal space on aircraft and test current seating configurations for evacuation in case of a crash. Plus, the committee added the discredited and Orwellian-named Transparent Airfares Act as a amendment to the bill, which will codify deceptive advertising.
The first five consumer benefits in the proposed bill crafted by the committee staff were impressive:
• Requires airlines to refund baggage fees for bags delayed more than 24 hours on domestic flights
• Bans use of cell phones for in-flight voice communications on scheduled passenger flights
• Ensures that airlines notify passengers of their consumer rights
• Extends the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection
• Authorizes DOT to establish a smartphone application for consumer complaints
Each off these need only minor tweaks that can be added during conference committee negotiations. However, these consumer issues are only a small part of an overall bill that deals with transforming the entire US air traffic control system.
Refusing to even request that the FAA study personal space on aircraft and evacuation of aircraft with the newly installed packed-in seating, and including an amendment that legalizes misleading and deceptive advertising, is simply irresponsible.
Supporting an new air traffic organization that puts effective control of the system in the hands of the airlines cannot be supported by any responsible consumer group, nor should it be supported by any responsible legislator.
To illustrate just how uninformed these committee members are, they voted unanimously to give prominent notification to a DOT telephone hotline that does not exist and that has never been funded by Congress.
Today’s FAA bill markup was a sad example of a sad committee ruining what could have been good, courageous legislation.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.