Flying will just about be gone History,,, as many of us Older folks remember the Glory days of flying, that being in the 1950's 60's 70's and early 80's
with Paper thing Seats coming into play and less & less leg room,,, available, and all the TSA Crap ya gotta go thru,,,
and now throw in all this too
???? Wire Cages surrounding Cockpits,,, No Phone calls on board flights ,,,,,
but apparently its still ok, to get drunk or be drunk onboard flights and be a disturbance to other passengers and cause problems
?? News Link : http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/senate-approves-faa-bill-with-traveler-security-provisions/ar-BBrYreO?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
Senate approves FAA bill with traveler, security provisions
WASHINGTON – The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday to require the Transportation Department to standardize how airlines disclose ever-increasing fees for baggage, flight changes and seat selection – and refund some fees when services aren’t provided.
"Travelers are frustrated and this bill contains common-sense reforms to make travel safe and secure, and more passenger friendly," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who led the committee that drafted the bill.
But the bill governing the Federal Aviation Administration must still be reconciled with the House, where contentious legislation would shift air-traffic control from the FAA to a not-for-profit corporation. The Senate bill, which was approved on a 95-to-3 vote, didn’t address privatization.
Traveler-oriented provisions in the Senate bill include:
• Automatic refunds for fees or services that aren’t received, such as seat assignments, early boarding and carry-bags.
• Refunds of baggage fees when luggage is lost or delayed six hours after arrival of a domestic flight and 12 hours after an international arrival. Airlines charged $2.8 billion in bag fees last year, according to the Transportation Department.
• Airline notification to families when tickets are booked if seats aren’t adjacent.
• A ban on cell-phone calls aboard planes in flight. A similar provision is in the House bill.
“It contains some of the most significant passenger-friendly reforms and airport-security enhancements that we've seen in years," said Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the top Democrat on the committee who worked with Thune to approve the bill. "Consumers feel like they're nickeled and dimed to death."
Airlines for America, a trade group representing most of the largest carriers, said Congress deregulated the industry in 1978 and new rules are unnecessary. Passengers can already file a claim with the Transportation Department for up to $3,400 compensation for a lost bag, the group said.
"Airlines already have extensive policies and protocols in place without additional regulation — and those policies are put forth in a way that works for the unique business model for that carrier and responds to the competitive forces under which they operate," said Melanie Hinton, a spokeswoman for the group. "Additional regulation is completely unnecessary."
The Senate bill would also require a review of how airlines provide information about delays or cancellations blamed on weather. That provision stems from concerns that airlines and airports sometimes cancel flights for reasons not related to weather hazards, such as the size of planes.
Security provisions in the bill would:
• Criminalize drone flights that interfere with occupied aircraft, with penalties up to life in prison for causing serious injury or death, under an amendment from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. The approval came two days after a British Airways pilot reported colliding with a drone while approaching Heathrow airport and then landing safely.
• Require airlines to install wire-mesh gates between the cockpit and seating area of new airliners, to provide a second barrier when pilots open the flight-deck door, under an amendment from Sens. Robert Casey, D-Pa., and Patrick Toomey, R-Pa. A similar provision is in the House bill.
• Double the number of Transportation Security Administration teams from 30 to 60 that patrol airports away from checkpoints, such as around baggage claim or check-in desks where the Brussels bombings occurred March 22, under an amendment from Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. The so-called Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teams often have dogs to sniff for explosives.
“It’s a win for passengers," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "It’s a win for national security."
The Senate rejected a proposal from Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., to force the department to set minimum standards for the distance between airline seats and their width.
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., tweeted a picture from a tight airline seat April 7 that he might have been impetuous voting against the amendment.
The White House praised the Senate’s bipartisan effort, but urged in a statement that the legislation last longer than the September 2017 extension in the Senate version. The House committee version, which the full House hasn’t voted on, would last six years.
In addition, the White House had concerns about safety and security provisions. A directive for FAA to certify standards for drone deliveries within two years is “overly prescriptive” and requiring the Transportation Security Administration to serve small airports would mean shifting staff from high-risk airports, the White House said.
The Senate and House have until July 15, when the FAA’s current authorization expires, to reach a compromise for President Obama to sign.
