Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Aviation Humanitarian Crisis Act of 2017”.
Aviation Humanitarian Crisis Act of 2017
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to declare that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists for airports impacted by a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Aviation humanitarian crisis declarations
Authority To declare— If the President declares that a major disaster or emergency exists with respect to an area under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), the Secretary of Transportation may declare, with respect to airports serving the area, that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists.
Contents of declaration— For each aviation humanitarian crisis declared to exist, the Secretary shall identify—
the airports subject to the declaration; and
the time period during which the declaration applies.
Results of declaration— If the Secretary declares that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists with respect to an airport, during the time period to which the declaration applies—
an air carrier that provides a flight in air transportation to or from the airport may not charge for any seat on the flight an amount that exceeds the median amount charged with respect to all seats on all flights of the carrier traveling the same route during the 1-year period ending on the date on which the crisis was declared to exist; and
an entity that imposes, with respect to the airport, a passenger facility charge authorized by the Secretary under section 40117 of title 49, United States Code, shall suspend imposing the charge.