Senators introduce bill to punish airlines that delay passengers

Lawmakers want to impose stricter penalties on U.S. airlines that delay or strand passengers.

Senators think it can be passed, and that is why they think it will become law.

The latest move comes after an outrage over debacles like the one at Southwest Airlines in December.

The passenger bill of rights is presented by Democrats Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Edward Markey of Massachusetts.

It will allow customers to file class-action lawsuits against airlines and allow them to limit airline fees.

A trade group for the largest U.S. airlines isn't happy about it and is making a blistering attack on the legislation.

A spokeswoman for the airline group Airlines for America said the industry is highly competitive and benefits consumers.

The bill will undermine decades of successful policies that have revolutionized air travel, which allows the vast majority of Americans to take flight, said Marli Collier, spokeswoman. The proposed policies in this bill - imposing government-controlled pricing, establishing private right of action and dictating private sector contracts - would decrease competition, leading to an increase in airfare prices and a potential cut in services to small and rural communities. The proposals like this have failed in the past but the lawmakers argue that they can succeed this time by attaching their ideas to must-pass legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration.

Southwest canceled 16,700 flights in late December, affecting travel plans for around 2 million people, when it took more than a week to recover from a winter storm.

A Southwest spokesman provided FOX Business with the following statement.

Southwest employees are guided by a simple philosophy of doing the right thing, which has served us well throughout our long and proud 51 years of providing world-class Customer Service Southwest said that the holiday disruption would cost about $1.1 billion.

Blumenthal told reporters that airlines need incentives to do the right thing, and consumers need protection.

Blumenthal's proposal would set $1,350 as minimum compensation for passengers bumped off oversold flights. It would require airlines to provide alternate transportation and reimbursement for out-of- pocket costs for customers whose flights are delayed as briefly as one hour.

The bill would allow consumers to file class-action lawsuits and remove fines that the government can levy for airlines that violate consumer protection laws.

Markey proposes to limit fees to what it costs the airline to provide the service.