I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4742
To improve consumers’ access to airline industry information, to promote
competition in the aviation industry, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 8, 1998
Mr. DEFAZIO (for himself, Mr. SANDERS, and Ms. KAPTUR) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
A BILL
To improve consumers’ access to airline industry information,
to promote competition in the aviation industry, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Aviation Consumer
Right To Know Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. CODE-SHARING DISCLOSURE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall begin implementation of the requirements con-
tained in the notice of proposed rulemaking of the Depart-
ment of Transportation, dated August 10, 1994, concern-
ing disclosure of code-sharing arrangements and long-term
wet leases.
(b) WRITTEN NOTICE.—Before implementing the re-
quirements referred to subsection (a), the Secretary shall
modify the requirements to ensure that written notice of
a code-sharing arrangement or long-term wet lease is pro-
vided on ticket stock and any accompanying itinerary.
SEC. 3. TRAVEL TICKET AGENT OVERIDE DISCLOSURE.
The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a rule-
making proceeding to require a ticket agent for air trans-
portation to disclose verbally, in any direct verbal commu-
nication with a prospective consumer of air transportation
services, the commissions (including all forms of financial
and in-kind remuneration) paid to the ticket agent (or the
ticket agent’s agency) by all air carriers serving the mar-
kets of interest to the prospective consumer.
SEC. 4. FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM STATISTICS.
The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a rule-
making proceeding to require each air carrier to keep
records and publish statistics concerning the possibility of
redeeming frequent flyer benefits offered by the air carrier
for air transportation between any city-pair market of the
air carrier. Publication requirements established pursuant
to this section shall include a requirement that the avail-
ability of such statistics be noticed in any newsletter pro-
vided by the air carrier to members of its frequent flyer
program.
SEC. 5. INTERNET PUBLICATION OF AIR FARES.
The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a rule-
making proceeding to require each air carrier to publish
on the international computer network known as the
Internet, in a manner that is comprehensible and readily
accessible by the general public, the available fares for air
transportation offered by the air carrier (including fares
for each class of service and each subcategory within the
class) on each flight scheduled for departure on or before
the 60th day following the date of publication and to up-
date the publication not less than once every 24 hours.
SEC. 6. DEADLINES.
In conducting the rulemaking proceedings under sec-
tions 3, 4, and 5, the Secretary shall—
(1) not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, issue a notice of proposed
rulemaking; and
(2) not later than 1 year after such date of en-
actment, issue a final rule.
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