House signs off on FAA bill that addresses aircraft safety and the refund rights of passengers

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer

Congress has passed a bill that is designed to add more safety inspectors at aircraft factories and to give air travelers automatic refunds for canceled or long-delayed flights. The House gave final approval on Wednesday to a $105 billion measure to reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration programs and sent it to President Joe Biden. The Senate passed the bill last week. It will require FAA to hire more air traffic controllers and safety inspectors and increase the use of collision-avoidance technology at airports. Supporters say the legislation’s provisions are a key step in improving aviation safety after a number of close calls between planes at U.S. airports in the last two years.