From Portland to Presque Isle, airports large and small across Maine and around the country help connect us and propel our economy forward. And with critical airport funding set to lapse this summer, the Senate recently took a responsible and much-needed step towards extending that support while making air travel safer and more convenient in the process.
Without action from Congress, funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to expire in July. Given that the FAA is tasked with ensuring the safety of our airports and air traffic control system, it would be beyond irresponsible to let this funding lapse. Thankfully, the Senate passed a bill earlier in April that would not only reauthorize FAA funding, but also make flying more consumer friendly and help strengthen airport security at the same time.
We all know how stressful it can be to fly, and this bill takes some common-sense steps to make the process easier for travelers by increasing transparency and working to improve rules for different airline fees. For instance, under this legislation, airlines would have to notify you ahead of time regarding all bag fees, cancellation fees, change fees, ticketing fees, and seat selection before you purchase a ticket. It would also require airlines to make it easier for families to travel by letting them know at the time of booking whether or not they can have seats next to each other without an associated fee.
Hopefully you have never had to deal with the frustration of lost or delayed baggage. But if you have, you know how inconvenient it can be. This bill would require automatic refunds for paid baggage fees if luggage is not delivered within 6 hours after the arrival of a domestic flight, or within 12 hours of the arrival of an international flight. In addition, it requires automatic refunds of other fees, such as paid seats and priority boarding, if the passenger cancels their flight or if the airline doesn’t end up delivering the additional service. These are just some of the provisions that would help make air travel easier for the American people.
Beyond the many ways that we can increase convenience for travelers at airports, we can also take steps to make them safer. I supported several successful amendments to the FAA legislation that will do just that. One of those provisions would strengthen security in non-secure areas at airports such as check-in and baggage claim areas, known as “soft” target areas, update federal security programs to provide active shooter training for law enforcement, and increase the presence of federal security teams with bomb-sniffing canines at these non-secure areas. Another would tighten the vetting process for airport workers who have access to secure areas.
In the wake of the Brussels attacks, we must do all that we can to help make our airports more safe and secure, while balancing the important freedoms we hold dear. I was actually in Europe for meetings on national security at the time of the bombings, which struck the Brussels airport and a metro station, and those attacks emphasize the need to always work to shore up airport security. Our common-sense security measures in the FAA bill could not be more timely.
Importantly, the Senate FAA legislation also includes an amendment authored by Sen. Susan Collins ‚Ä“ which I supported ‚Ä“ that would protect jobs at the Portland International Jetport, the Bangor International Airport, and nearly sixty other airports across the country. By prohibiting the closing of the contract weather observer service, the provision would protect jobs across the state and help ensure the continued safety of people flying in and out of our airports.
By coming together to pass this bipartisan FAA reauthorization bill, the Senate took a positive step forward in making air travel safer and more convenient for travelers. I hope that the House of Representative will follow suit soon in order to make sure the FAA has the tools and resources needed to support America’s airports and the people who rely on them.
