HR5502-119

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Airline Freeze of Astronomical Increases in Rates Act or the AirFAIR Act.

2. Excessive aviation ticket price increases during disasters Section 41712 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: It shall be an unfair or deceptive practice under subsection (a) for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person offering to sell tickets for air transportation to impose an excessive increase in the price of such tickets in circumstances related to a disaster or emergency. The Secretary shall issue regulations to establish standards for determining whether an increase in a ticket price is excessive for purposes of paragraph (1). At a minimum, the standards shall ensure that an increase of 30 percent or more is treated as being excessive. In this section, the terms disaster or emergency means a disaster or emergency as declared by a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States. The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall conduct a study on whether any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person offering to sell tickets for air transportation has engaged in unfair practices in the sale of such tickets in circumstances related to a disaster or emergency. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study. (d)Excessive ticket price increases during disasters (1)In generalIt shall be an unfair or deceptive practice under subsection (a) for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person offering to sell tickets for air transportation to impose an excessive increase in the price of such tickets in circumstances related to a disaster or emergency. (2)RegulationsThe Secretary shall issue regulations to establish standards for determining whether an increase in a ticket price is excessive for purposes of paragraph (1). At a minimum, the standards shall ensure that an increase of 30 percent or more is treated as being excessive. (3)DefinitionsIn this section, the terms disaster or emergency means a disaster or emergency as declared by a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States..