WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Thursday signed sweeping aviation legislation to boost US air traffic controller staffing, increase funding to avert runway close-call incidents and speed refunds for cancelled flights.
The US$105 billion, five-year measure prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together, requires aeroplanes to be equipped with 25-hour cockpit recording devices bill and raises maximum civil penalties for airline consumer violations from US$25,000 per violation to US$75,000.
Biden has repeatedly clashed with air carriers, calling for new stricter consumer rules and harshly criticising them for imposing fees. His administration has also aggressively moved to block further consolidation in the passenger airline industry.