New bills introduced affecting air travel

The Senate today passed an amedment to an aviation bill that would make it illegal for any Federal employee to misuse a body scan image. This includes all airport screeners and those at federal courthouses. Besides the actual image itself, the amedment also covers copies made by any type of recording device including cameras, cellphones or videocameras.

Violators could be sentenced to up to one year in prison and or $100,000 for each offense. The amendment passed 98-0.

Over in the House, there is a move to make the current “Passenger Bill of Rights” a law.  Unlike the current FAA rules about tarmac delays which only covers domestic carriers on domestic flights, the new bill covers all airlines on both domestic and international flights.

This is the third time this bill have been introduced. It failed the previous two times.

(Frank II)