Blumenthal Provisions Pass Senate as Part of FAA Reauthorization

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today announced that several provisions that he authored to promote airline safety and enhance consumer protection passed the Senate as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill.

“This breakthrough bill will make the 21st century skies safer and easier to fly—but is still riddled with big consumer bumps,” Blumenthal said. “The new law includes important reforms that I helped to lead, including banning the use of e-cigarettes in flight, strengthening drone safety, and improving air travel for families and pregnant women. This measure is a promising takeoff, but by no means a final landing for protecting against unfair fees, disclosing hidden charges, guaranteeing sufficient seat space, and other consumer protection steps.”

Blumenthal successfully included key provisions in the bill in the following areas:

Security

• Ensure airports and transportation facilities have more robust resources to protect and defend “soft” targets like those that terrorists attacked in Brussels
• Strengthen training standards for airline personnel to identify and combat human trafficking

Safety

• Require an FAA study on whether shrinking seats have made evacuating aircraft in an emergency more difficult and more dangerous
• Require airlines to include flight attendants within airlines’ fatigue management plans, ensuring they get adequate rest to perform key safety functions

Consumer Protection and Passenger Comfort

• Establish a process to ensure that airlines allow children to sit next to a parent on a flight at no additional cost
• Clarify that the TSA cannot separate a parent or guardian from their child throughout the security screening process
• Ensure that airlines accommodate pregnant women throughout a flight, such as providing them the opportunity to pre-board
• Ensure availability of private lactation areas at airports for mothers
• Require a Government Accountability Office study on anti-competitive agreements between airlines
• Improve the Department of Transportation’s consumer complaints website so passengers have better access to information about airlines
• Prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes and vaping devices for smoking on airplanes
• Urge agency action to ensure the use of effective non-toxic insecticides on planes, protecting passengers’ health while also combating the Zika virus

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