Biden signs sweeping aviation safety, reform bill into law

President Joe Biden signed on Thursday sweeping aviation legislation that will boost US air traffic controller staffing, increase funding to avert runway close-call incidents and speed up refunds for canceled flights.<br/>The $105b, five-year measure reauthorizes the FAA. It prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together, requires airplanes to be equipped with 25-hour cockpit recording devices, raises maximum civil penalties for airline consumer violations from $25,000 per violation to $75,000 and boosts aircraft production scrutiny. "Following flight disruptions, runway close calls and consumer frustrations, this law is set to deliver the safest, most reliable aviation system in the world," said Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell. "Plane manufacturers will see more safety inspectors on factory floors and tougher safety standards from the FAA." Biden has repeatedly clashed with air carriers, calling for new stricter consumer rules and harshly criticizing them for imposing fees. His administration has also aggressively moved to block further consolidation in the passenger airline industry, including successfully blocking a tie-up between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines and quashing an alliance between JetBlue and American Airlines. The law also adds five daily round-trip takeoff and landing slots at busy Washington National Airport, which Delta had lobbied for. The bill also directs the FAA to deploy advanced airport surface technology to help prevent collisions. Efforts to boost aviation safety in the United States have taken on new urgency after a series of near-miss incidents, as well as January's door plug mid-air emergency on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 flight.<br/>