A new federal bill aims to make hitting the skies a little bit friendlier.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is calling the newly passed FAA bill a “major win for upstate New York.”
"The bill is going to allow runway improvements, signal improvements, and safety improvements at airports like Hancock in Syracuse and so many others,” said Schumer.
Schumer said the bill provides $66 billion to fund safety programs, including aircraft certification reform, air carrier oversight, and the hiring and training of air traffic controllers and engineers.
He said families of the victims from Flight 3407, which crashed in the Buffalo area in 2009, helped with lobbying efforts, particularly to protect a provision that requires pilots to have at least 1500 hours of training.
"I stopped any change from happening,” said Schumer. “I told those who were trying —both Democrats and Republicans — to dilute it, ‘I'm not going to put the bill on the floor if you dilute the rules,’ and we finally won that fight."
The bill also requires fee-free family seating.
"Airlines were ridiculous when they charged parents hundreds of dollars to just sit next to their kids,” Schumer said. “(The Department of Transportation) will develop rules to stop that."
There will also be new consumer protections, including clear standards for refunds when an airline cancels or significantly delays a flight.
The Senate passed the bill late last Thursday. Schumer said the House is expected to vote on it this week.
