BOXER ON AIRLINE CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL 

Job Creating Legislation Includes Boxer’s Airline Passenger Bill of Rights

Key Highlights:

• The FAA Bill Creates and Protects Jobs. The nation’s passenger and cargo airlines drive nearly 11 million U.S. jobs and $1.2 trillion in annual economic activity. According to the FAA, the industry also contributes 5.2 percent of U.S. GDP equaling $732 billion a year. The industry needs this bill to remain strong. According to the American Association of Airport Executives, $1 billion in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds could generate up to 35,000 new jobs. AIP funds are used for airport development and planning. The bill authorizes $8 billion in AIP funds, which could create or protect up to 280,000 jobs. [Airline Transport Industry Testimony by President and CEO Jim May, 3/18/10; American Association of Airport Executives, 10/28/08]  

 

• The FAA Bill Protects Consumers. The bill requires airlines to develop contingency plans for delays while passengers are on an aircraft. Plans must include how the airlines will provide adequate food, water and access to restrooms. Airlines must also provide passengers with timely and accurate information regarding the flight. [Senate Commerce Committee]  

 

• The FAA Bill Improves Aviation Safety. The bill will help prevent runway incursions. In 2010 there were 988 separate runway incursions according to the FAA. Thus far in 2011 there have been 66. The bill requires the FAA to provide runway incursion information to pilots and improve the process for tracking and investigating incursions. [FAA; Senate Commerce Committee] 

 

• The FAA Bill Reduces Delays. The bill accelerates the FAA’s air traffic control modernization efforts by focusing the agency’s NextGen Initiative. NextGen will convert the nation’s air traffic control from a ground-based system to one that uses GPS. Going to a GPS system will allow aircraft to more precisely into and out of airports. According to FAA data, “by 2018, NextGen will reduce total flight delays by about 21 percent while providing $22 billion in cumulative benefits to the traveling public, aircraft operators and the FAA. In the process, more than 1.4 billion gallons of fuel will be saved during this period, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 14 million tons.” [Senate Commerce Committee; FAA]  

 

• The FAA Bill Improves Access to Rural Communities. The bill not only increases funding for the Essential Air Service Program, it provides incentives to encourage better service and reforms the Program so areas with lower passenger levels continue to be served. [Senate Commerce Committee]

 

• The FAA Has Been Running on Short-Term Extensions for Three Years. Since the long-term FAA authorization expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2007, Congress has passed 17 short-term extensions of FAA programs. The current authorization expires March 31, 2011. FAA needs a long-term reauthorization to provide certainty, safety and jobs for both the industry and air passengers. [CRS, 1/13/11]