Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott announced Friday the introduction of legislation that would require airlines to provide passengers with status updates on delayed flights every 15 minutes until departure.
The Frequent Logistics Information for Grounded and Held Travelers (FLIGHT) Act aims to enhance transparency for airline passengers experiencing delays, he said. Under the bill, carriers would be required to notify passengers when flights are delayed by 15 minutes or more, with subsequent updates provided every 15 minutes until the flight is ready for takeoff.
The notifications would be delivered via email or text message and would have to include updated estimated departure and arrival times. The bill also stipulates that passengers be given the option to opt out of receiving the notifications.
“No American I know has been spared from the inconvenience of a delayed flight,” said Scott in a news release. “While sometimes unavoidable and completely understandable, these delays cause frustration and ruined plans that can be costly for passengers who made their plans around times provided by the airlines and are often left in the dark amid endless delays.”
The bill would amend Title 49 of the United States Code to implement the new requirements, specifically targeting “covered air carriers” as defined in existing statutes.
The FLIGHT Act joins several other legislative efforts aimed at strengthening passenger protections in the U.S. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation implemented rules requiring airlines to provide automatic refunds for significantly delayed or canceled flights.
Scott’s new bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for further consideration.
