Senate Passes Airline Passengers Bill of Rights

The Transportation Department (DOT)already has toughened rules for airlines regarding tarmac delays. Now the U.S. Senate is seeking to codify those changes into law, enacting the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights.

The measure, authored by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), was included as an amendment to the Senate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill.

Three-hour rule

The protections include the so-called  "three-hour rule," which requires airlines to give passengers the option of returning to the terminal if they have been stuck on a plane for longer than three hours.

The FAA bill also would require airlines to develop contingency plans -- approved by the FAA -- to ensure that passengers are provided with adequate food, water and restrooms, and allowed to deplane in the event of a lengthy tarmac delay.

In addition, the Boxer and Snowe added an amendment that would require air carriers to post up front the dimensions of a child safety seat that can be used on each aircraft operated by the air carrier to enable passengers to determine which child safety seats can be used on those aircraft.

Consumer victory

"The Senate's vote is a huge victory for job creation, for the safety of air travel and for protecting the rights of airline passengers nationwide," said Kate Hanni, president of FlyersRights.org, a consumer group. "The new Boxer-Snowe amendment for protecting our most vulnerable infants in FAA approved CRS restraints, is a giant step forward in protecting those who cannot advocate for themselves."

The FAA Reauthorization Act will support 280,000 jobs nationwide, according to the U.S. Travel Association, while helping airports modernize their facilities and  improve safety.

FlyersRights.org, and other airline passenger advocacy groups, were founded after a series of highly publicized tarmac delays in which passengers were kept on board planes for hours, while sitting on airport tarmacs.