[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 43 (Thursday, April 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S3234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BURNS (for himself and Mr. Rockefeller):
  S. 2572. A bill to amend the Aviation and Transportation Security Act 
to extend the suspended service ticket honor requirement; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to introduce the 
Aviation Consumer Protection Extension Act. The bill is a 1-year 
extension of section 145 of the Aviation and Transportation Security 
Act, which passed in 2001. The current extension expires in November of 
this year.
  Currently, the aviation industry is going through a difficult time 
with numerous airline bankruptcies and overall uncertainty. In this 
environment, airline consumers deserve protection in the circumstance 
that their air service provider suspends service because of a 
bankruptcy.
  This extension provides that airline passengers holding tickets from 
a bankrupt carrier are entitled to a seat on a standby basis on any 
airline serving that route if arrangements are made within 60 days 
after the bankrupt airline suspends operations.
  Under the provision, the maximum fee that an airline can charge for 
providing standby transportation would not exceed $50 each way. The 
extension does not apply to charter flights but does cover frequent 
flyer tickets.
  Like all Members of this body, my State of Montana has a number of 
traveling families. In the unfortunate circumstance that an air carrier 
discontinues service, those families should not have to foot an 
outrageous bill to get back home.
  In these times of unease and uncertainty in the airline industry, we 
need to make sure hard-earned family vacations don't turn into 
unnecessarily costly expenditures. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues on a timely passage of this important extension.
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