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This archive photo from March 16, 2017 shows the interior of a commercial airliner at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. (Photo: Seth Wenig, AP)
It's official: the US government will soon regulate the distance between airline seats.
President Donald Trump on Friday signed a law passed by Congress that extends the FAA's five-year policy. The FAA's Reauthorization Bill includes several provisions that will affect air travelers.
One of the most attracted features is the "SEAT Act," which requires the FAA to set standards for the size of airline seats. The agency has a year to set minimum requirements in terms of width and space between the seats.
Many praised the bill for preventing airlines from further reducing the number of seats, but there is no guarantee that it will go as planned.
The FAA will need to develop regulations on the minimum size of seats on commercial flights. But we do not know what rules the agency could possibly adopt. It is possible that the FAA rules end up codifying the narrowest seating arrangements already proposed by US airlines.
Elsewhere, the FAA bill is also notable for what is not included.
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Legislators have abandoned a plan backed by airlines to privatize the country's air traffic control system. And congressional negotiators have dropped a proposal to crack down on "unreasonable" airline tariffs, a decision that has frustrated consumer rights groups in airlines.
FAA legislation also includes other provisions. It forbids carriers from accidentally taking passengers already on board, a rule that echoes the United passenger trainage incident in April 2017.
The legislation also requires airlines to create better communication protocols to inform customers of flight delays.
Other details in the legislation: The Ministry of Transportation would be responsible for setting rules for animals for assistance and emotional support on board aircraft, including "reasonable steps to ensure that pets are not claimed as assistance animals. " It would be forbidden to transport live animals in baggage compartments.
In addition, passengers would be prohibited from making voice calls in flight. Right now, no American airline allows it, but the bill would prevent it.
"The many reforms to this law will help strengthen US leadership in aviation, create jobs and improve passenger safety and passenger services," said the chairman of the Transportation and Air Transport Committee. infrastructure, Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) In a statement, after the signing of the law act.
"With this legislation, our economy and our passengers will benefit as airport construction projects move forward, aeronautics construction will be stimulated and passengers will benefit from new legal protections during air travel," he added. Senator John Thune (RS.D). .), Chairman of the Committee on Trade, Science and Transport.
Contribute: The Associated Press
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