Lawmakers want to impose stricter penalties on U.S. airlines that delay or strand passengers.
The latest move comes following outrage over debacles like the one at Southwest Airlines in December.
The “passenger bill of rights” is being presented by Democrats Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Edward Markey of Massachusetts.
“This bill undermines and eliminates decades of successful policies that have transformed air travel, allowing the vast majority of Americans to take flight,” said the spokeswoman, Marli Collier. “The proposed policies in this bill — instituting government-controlled pricing, establishing a private right of action and dictating private sector contracts — would drastically decrease competition, leading to a subsequent increase in airfare prices and potential cut in services to small and rural communities.”
While proposals like this have failed in the past the lawmakers argue that they can succeed this time by attaching their ideas to must-pass legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration.
Southwest canceled 16,700 flights in late December, likely affecting travel plans for about 2 million people, when it took more than a week to recover from a winter storm.
Senator Richard Blumenthal said “The airlines need to be given some incentives to do the right thing, and consumers need protection,” Blumenthal’s proposal would set $1,350 as the minimum compensation for passengers bumped off oversold flights. It would require airlines to provide alternate transportation and reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs to customers whose flights are delayed as briefly as one hour.
The bill would also allow consumers to file class-action lawsuits and eliminate caps on fines the government can levy for airlines that violate consumer-protection laws.