Bill would force airlines to plan for long delays
WASHINGTON - Airlines and airports would have to come up with plans to provide passengers stranded by long delays with food, water, and other basic amenities under a bill the House approved yesterday.
Plans would also be required for allowing passengers to deplane following excessive delays.
The Transportation Department could levy civil penalties against a carrier or airport that doesn't adhere to contingency arrangements.
"These provisions are going to set a standard that will ensure that the flying public will be treated appropriately when they experience delays," said Representative Mike Thompson, a California Democrat who promoted the bill.
The $68 billion bill to finance Federal Aviation Administration operations and invest in airport improvements over the next four years passed 267-151. The Senate is working on similar legislation.
The White House issued a veto threat for the House bill, saying it "falls far short" of administration proposals put forth early this year to reduce delays by modernizing the air traffic control system.
The White House also objected to the bill's intent to raise aviation fuel taxes to pay for new investment.
The measure would increase the jet fuel tax for noncommercial planes to 30.7 cents per gallon, from 21.8 cents, and the aviation gasoline tax to 24.1 cents, from 19.3 cents. It would also raise the cap on fees airports can charge passengers for capital improvements to $7 a flight, from $4.50.
But lawmakers were particularly interested in provisions dealing with congestion and delays.
Democrat Charles Rangel of New York said there wasn't anyone from either party who "didn't believe that this was our time to tell these aviation people that we passengers were suffering in such a way that we were going to express it through the tax system. People on the tarmac for three, four, five hours. Flights being canceled . . . "
The bill specifies that carriers and large and medium hub airports would have to file plans detailing food, water, restroom facilities, cabin ventilation, and medical treatment for passengers aboard aircraft.
The bill would address noise and congestion issues by committing $13 billion, $1 billion more than the administration request, for air traffic control improvements and the satellite-based Next Generation Air Transportation System.
It would require the FAA to begin schedule reduction meetings if aircraft operations exceed hourly maximum arrival and departure rules and set up a pilot program at five airports to develop and test new air traffic flow management technologies.
Republicans voted against the bill to show opposition to a provision that would reopen a disputed contract with air traffic controllers imposed by the FAA last year, return to the terms of the previous 1998 contract, and provide back pay to controllers.
