Congress Strikes Agreement on Long-Term FAA Reauthorization

While consumer concerns are prominent in the news about the agreement, the reauthorization legislation also addresses concerns over aviation safety.

Mark Phelps

Monday, April 29, 2024 at 04:29 PM ET

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The negotiator-approved version of the FAA Reauthorization legislation addresses FAA staffing shortfalls in air traffic controllers, as well as inspectors, engineers, and technical specialists. [Courtesy: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. Congress negotiators reached an agreement on a long-term FAA reauthorization bill aimed at bolstering aviation safety and implementing new consumer protections.
The agreed-upon bill notably excludes the controversial proposal to raise the mandatory airline pilot retirement age from 65 to 67.
Key safety provisions include mandates for 24-hour cockpit voice recorders and addressing FAA staffing shortfalls for air traffic controllers and other personnel.
Consumer protections in the bill include prohibiting airlines from charging extra for families to sit together, requiring a five-year validity for airline vouchers, and increasing penalties for consumer violations.

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U.S. Congress negotiators from the House of Representatives and the Senate agreed Monday on language of a long-term FAA reauthorization bill addressing potential safety breaches as well as consumer protections.

The House voted in favor of a reauthorization bill in July that would have included raising the mandatory airline pilot retirement age to 67 from 65. But in February, the Senate Commerce Committee rejected that element of the proposed five-year, $105 billion FAA reauthorization measure.