Airline Passenger Protection Act of 2017

Airline Passenger Protection Act of 2017

This bill prescribes certain airline passenger protection requirements with respect to:

• seat size, safety, and health;
• bathroom size, safety, and health;
• refunds for damaged or inoperable in-air amenities (televisions, headphones, and wireless internet access);
• delays and cancellations;
• disclosure of passenger fees and passenger rights of recourse in the event of a cancellation, delay, and damaged baggage;
• frequent flier program benefits;
• maintenance of a consumer complaint hotline;
• lost, damaged, or stolen baggage disputes and insurance;
• reinstatement of reciprocity rule (Rule 240) permitting passengers on a flight that is cancelled or delayed three or more hours to use their ticket on another airline to fly to the same or a nearby destination; and
• tarmac delays, deplaning, and the provision of adequate food, potable water, and operable lavatories.

The bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to require air carriers and foreign air carriers to develop and implement reserve staffing and equipment plans that optimize the carrier's ability to provide quality service, defined as fewer than 2% of flights cancelled and fewer than 15% of flights delayed for causes reasonably within the control of the carrier.

DOT shall establish guidelines for carriers to report annually cancellation and on-time performance statistics to the Federal Aviation Administration.