Fly Together Act

Bill: 116-s-4335
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-07-28
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Child safety and welfare

Family relationships

Transportation costs
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Fly Together Act</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a policy directing all air carriers that provide passenger air transportation to ensure children age 13 and under are seated adjacent to their family members on flights without mandating extra fees unless such policy would require an upgrade or violate safety guidelines.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4335 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 28, 2020 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Markey , Mr. Schumer , and Ms. Klobuchar )) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a policy with respect to family seating on air transportation, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fly Together Act . 2. Policy on families flying with young children (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a policy directing all air carriers providing scheduled passenger interstate or intrastate air transportation to establish policies that enable a child, who is age 13 or under on the date an applicable flight is scheduled to occur, to be seated in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13, to the maximum extent practicable and at no additional cost, except when assignment to an adjacent seat would— (1) require an upgrade to— (A) another cabin class; (B) a seat with extra legroom; or (C) seat pitch for which additional payment is normally required; or (2) violate safety guidelines. (b) Statutory construction Notwithstanding the requirement in subsection (a), nothing in this section may be construed to allow the Secretary to impose a significant change in the overall seating or boarding policy of an air carrier providing scheduled passenger interstate or intrastate air transportation that has an open or flexible seating policy in place that generally allows adjacent family seating as described in subsection (a). (c) Definition of air carrier In this section, the term air carrier has the meaning given the term in section 40102(a) of title 49, United States Code.