Blumenthal Fights for Passenger Protections in FAA Reauthorization

[WASHINGTON, DC] – At a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee meeting to consider reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) pressed for additional passenger protections onboard aircraft.

Blumenthal also pushed back against an effort to reduce the number of training hours required before airline co-pilots – the second in command onboard aircraft – receive a license. Current rules – enacted after a 2009 crash took the lives of 49 passengers – require pilots to log 1,500 real-world training hours.

“There are times when we put our lives in the trust of other people. None is more solemn and serious than when we get in an airplane. We really have to be able to trust those pilots,” Blumenthal said.

The Committee adopted two amendments proposed by Blumenthal to improve safety and the traveling experience for airline passengers that:

• Require efforts to address toxic air on commercial aircraft: Most people don’t know that the air they breathe in the cabin of a passenger plane is first drawn through the aircraft’s engines – which means it can become contaminated with engine exhaust, de-icing fluids, and ozone as it enters the plane. This provision requires FAA to improve education to passengers and crew members regarding the possibility of contaminated air, improve reporting of incidents, and begin developing technology to prevent incidents of contaminated air.

• Study the impact of shrinking lavatories on travelers: Airlines have no blanket obligation to provide a functional lavatory to passengers. An airline can fly a plane loaded with passengers even if all lavatories are broken. Moreover, airlines have reportedly begun shrinking lavatories in an effort that parallels their effort to shrink seat sizes, causing problems for passengers with disabilities when using the lavatory. This provision requires the Government Accountability Office to investigate the new phenomenon of shrinking airplane lavatories, including the harmful impact they have on people with disabilities.

The legislation also included Blumenthal-authored provisions to:

• Evaluate shrinking seat size:  Airlines are shrinking seats on planes to fit more passengers and increase profits, making the flying experience even more fraught with discomfort and indignity. These provisions require FAA to assess the dangers that shrinking seats have caused, such as hampering plane evacuations in emergency situations.  The bill also requires FAA to take initial steps to assess and set a minimum seat size.

• Publicize passengers’ rights:  DOT’s website on consumer protection provides limited information on passengers’ rights. This provision requires DOT to evaluate and improve online information – including providing more information about how well airlines treat their customers so that customers can better compare airlines and make more informed choices.

• Address crew member fatigue: Flight attendants are frequently the first responders in the sky, but they are often overworked and given little time for rest in between shifts. This provision ensures airlines address crew member fatigue, providing them adequate time to rest, which helps improve service for all customers.

Earlier this week, Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) introduced the Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights, comprehensive legislation to expand protections for American air travelers.