Davids Introduces Amendment in FAA Reauthorization to Improve Fee Transparency, Consumer Protections for Air Travel

Today, as the House prepares to consider the major Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization package, Representative Sharice Davids introduced an amendment to improve consumer protections for Kansans traveling by air. The amendment would require the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure transparency of airline fees for consumers throughout the ticketing process.

“When booking a flight, air travelers deserve to know exactly what they’re paying for and how much it will cost,” said Davids. “My amendment would require the Department of Transportation to ensure airlines are abiding by the transparency standards the American public has come to expect. As we move forward in considering the FAA reauthorization package on the House floor, I’ll continue to keep consumer protection and safety as a top priority.”

Davids' amendment, which requires the DOT to collect and report data, on behalf of consumers, on airlines’ commitment to fee transparency though their Airline Customer Service Dashboard, will be considered as the House votes on the FAA reauthorization in the coming weeks. In June, the reauthorization package, which would reauthorize the FAA and aviation safety and infrastructure programs for the next five years, passed out of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with broad bipartisan support. The bill contains several priorities for Davids. Specifically, it:

• Improves airline customer protections and accessibility by directing the DOT to require airlines to develop policies to reimburse passengers for unexpected meal and hotel costs, create plans to limit the impact of mass flight cancelations, and establish policies allowing passengers to sit next to their young child.
• Increases America’s aviation safety standards by decreasing the risk of airport collisions, reviewing airplane passenger emergency medical kits and evacuation procedures, and requiring the FAA to update security measures to help prevent assaults against flight crews and passengers.
• Strengthens U.S. aviation workforce and manufacturing by promoting the hiring of more air traffic controller agents and limiting Chinese-owned companies from accessing federal dollars.

The bill will soon be considered on the House floor for debate and a vote. The Senate has released a separate, bipartisan legislative planto reauthorize the FAA. The House and Senate will likely prioritize a combination of the two bills that will pass in both chambers before the 2018 FAA reauthorization expires on September 30, 2023.

Davids, who has served on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since being elected to Congress, has prioritized consumer protections and safety throughout the FAA reauthorization process. During a March committee hearing, Davids spoke with airline professionals about how the overall flying experience, including safety and transparency of hidden fees, could be improved. She also called on DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg to provide answers for January’s aviation safety notification system meltdown and to hold airlines accountable for recent mass cancellations.