U.S. airlines score win as Congress drops 'reasonable fee' rules

[WeAAsles]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. airline industry scored a win on Saturday as bipartisan congressional legislation dropped plans to mandate “reasonable and proportional” baggage and change fees, but included other new passenger protections.

After weeks of negotiations, a 1,200-page bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was unveiled early Saturday that would require the FAA to set minimum dimensions for passenger seats — including legroom and width — and prohibits airlines from involuntarily removing passengers from flights after they’ve cleared the boarding gate.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ress-drops-reasonable-fee-rules-idUSKCN1M20NO

 

[jimntx]

Good. Maybe the new seat dimension requirements will shut up the plus size people who insist that the airlines are shrinking the seats. Flight attendants can say, "but that would be illegal under Federal law." I had one on an MD-80 that insisted she had flown on these aircraft for years and the seats were being shrunk in width. I pointed out that the airplane had 5 across seating (2 on a/c left and 3 on a/c right) 30+ years ago when they went into service, and had 5 across seating even as we were speaking. I asked her what would be the advantage of reducing the seat width if we couldn't fit in more seats. Wider aisles?

Not sure about the involuntary removal prohibition. Is there a provision in the law for removing drunk and/or disorderly passengers? There is a continuing problem of people getting on the a/c smelling like a distillery, and gate agents swearing they didn't smell a thing because they didn't want to get into an argument with the passenger at the gate. It's already a violation of Federal law to board a drunk passenger.