Trump signs 5-year FAA reauthorization bill

Oct. 5 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Friday signed a five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration bill, which, among other things, seeks to regulate airplane seat width size.

The Senate sent the bill to the president's desk Wednesday with a 93-6 vote. Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Rand Paul, R-Ky., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., voted "no."

Some of the changes the bill will make include: prohibiting airlines from bumping a passenger who has already been seated; requiring the FAA to set minimum seat widths and distances between rows of seats; and permitting the Transportation Department to determine if airlines are justifiably blaming delays and cancellations on weather.

The bill allocates $90 billion to federal aviation programs over the next five years. That amount does not include a proposed increase in the $4.50-per-ticket passenger facility charge.

This was the first time the FAA bill has been renewed for a five-year period since the 1980s.

Ray Downs contributed to this report.