Consumer Protection

CFA Urges Senate Leaders to Support FAIR Fees Act Amendment to FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016

CFA as well as a number of consumer and traveler advocacy organizations call on Senate Leaders Mith McConnell and Harry Reid to support the inclusion of the FAIR Fees Act (S. 2656), sponsored by Senators Markey and Blumenthal, as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016. The FAIR Fees Act, which enjoyed bipartisan support in the Senate Commerce Committee, would prohibit airlines from charging cancellation, baggage or other ancillary fees that are “unreasonable or disproportional to the costs incurred by the air carrier,” under standards to be set by the DOT. The bill does not seek to re-regulate the airlines, but it serves to remedy a systemic violation of the free market system that has been pointed out repeatedly by both DOT and DOJ.