President Donald Trump signed into law Friday the bipartisan compromise Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill, which regulates airline seat sizes for passengers.
The law requires the FAA to set a minimum standard for airline seat sizes and prohibits airlines from bumping passengers who have already boarded an overbooked flight. The provisions are in response to consumer complaints about shrinking seats.
“There’s a lot to like in this bill, especially if you’re fed up with shrinking airline seat sizes,” Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said. “It goes to show that you can get things done when lawmakers put aside any partisan differences.”
The bill funds the FAA for five years and the Transportation Security Administration for three years.
The bill also includes amendments to prevent the Federal Emergency Management Agency from taking back years later disaster funds it provides to local communities and extend unemployment benefits from six months to one year for people in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who were affected by last year’s hurricanes. Communities damaged by Hurricane Florence last month will receive $1.68 billion.
Additional provisions include requiring large and medium airports to provide private rooms for nursing mothers and requiring airlines to return any fees passengers paid for services not received.