FAA bill leaves aside cost override

The latest version of the bill was negotiated by the legislators of the House and Senate, whose goal is to hold a vote in both Houses by the September 30 deadline to re-authorize the FAA.

The exclusion of the change fee provision is a victory for US airlines and their commercial group, Airlines for America. Last year, US airlines received nearly $ 3 billion in change and cancellation fees, according to federal data. They insisted that Congress not regulate this source of revenue, arguing that it could upset their business model.

The bill includes a provision requiring the FAA to set minimums for legroom and the width and length of seats of commercial airlines.

A spokesperson for the airline group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Senator Edward J. Markey (D., Mass.), Who had called for the amendment fee provision, accused the airlines of their defeat. "Congress has had the opportunity to do justice to changes and cancellation fees," he said in a statement. "Instead, thanks to an opaque negotiation process, airlines have managed to eliminate this important consumer protection provision. No one should have to pay a $ 200 change fee on a ticket that costs almost as much.

Compromise legislation, which could reach the House as early as next week, also includes several provisions pushed by industry groups to expand the uses of commercial drones and promote the return of supersonic civil aircraft to the United States.

Produced by proponents of these planes, legislators have called on the FAA to develop criteria for certification of future models producing reduced sonic dams. For starters, potential manufacturers want the agency to set noise standards during takeoffs and landings at conventional speeds. But ultimately, companies and industry groups will seek approval for supersonic civil flights over the US, now banned.

In addition, the legislation approves the accelerated and expanded operation of unmanned aircraft used for commercial and government purposes. In particular, members of the House and Senate agreed that the FAA should rely on consensual standards when approving certain designs of drones. The bill also provides that within one year, FAA leaders will develop plans to expand the existing rules to support regular parcel delivery UAV flights. Over the years, the agency has missed many legislative deadlines, largely because of technical and legal issues. The FAA's efforts to allow more extensive UAV flights continue to be hampered by security and law enforcement concerns about the dangers of dishonest operators or terrorists. Until these issues are resolved, the FAA will remain stuck in implementing many of the goals outlined in the bill.

However, in a big victory for

Amazon.com
Inc.

and many other companies pushing to deliver packages to consumers using relatively small, highly automated, unmanned aerial systems, the bill specifically provides for consideration of drones weighing more than 55 pounds, including freight.

By the end of 2019, the FAA will also need to develop an implementation plan for an air traffic control network focused on drone operations. And lawmakers want reports from industry and government experts presenting proposals to regulate the fast growing commercial drone sector.

In another part of the closely watched bill, for the first time in more than two decades, the legislation provides for longer rest periods for flight attendants between working days.

Write to Andrew Tangel at [email protected] and Andy Pasztor at [email protected]