S 2812 — Air Ambulance Consumer Protection Act

Summary

Air Ambulance Consumer Protection Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish an advisory committee to make recommendations for a rulemaking to: (1) require air ambulance operators to clearly disclose charges for air transportation services separately from charges for non-air transportation services within any invoice or bill, and (2) provide other consumer protections for customers of air ambulance operators. The bill makes provisions relating to air transportation consumer complaints applicable to air ambulance transportation. It also allows an air ambulance customer to file a complaint requiring DOT to investigate whether air carriers or ticket agents have engaged in unfair or deceptive practices or unfair methods of competition. An air ambulance operator shall include the hotline telephone number established for consumer complaints on any invoice, bill, or other communication provided to a passenger or customer of the operator.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html May 10, 2018

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill enhances consumer protections for air ambulance services by establishing new requirements for disclosure and complaint handling.

• 49 U.S.C. § 42302(a)

  (including transportation by air ambulance)

  This change expands the scope of the Secretary's responsibilities to include air ambulance transportation.

• 49 U.S.C. § 42302(b)

  , and an air ambulance operator,

  This change requires air ambulance operators to include contact information for complaints on their websites.

• 49 U.S.C. § 42302(b)

  or operator

  This addition clarifies that the requirements for providing complaints information apply to both air carriers and air ambulance operators.

• 49 U.S.C. § 42302(b)(2)

  or operator

  This change broadens the requirement for communication about submitting complaints to include air ambulance operators.

• 49 U.S.C. § 42302(c)

  subsection (c) → (c) Notice to Passengers on Boarding or Billing Documentation.--(1) Air carriers and foreign air carriers.--An air carrier or foreign air carrier providing scheduled air transportation using any aircraft that as originally designed has a passenger capacity of 30 or more passenger seats shall include the hotline telephone number established under subsection (a) on--(A) prominently displayed signs of the carrier at the airport ticket counters in the United States where the air carrier operates; and (B) any electronic confirmation of the purchase of a passenger ticket for air transportation issued by the air carrier. (2) Air ambulance operators.--An air ambulance operator shall include the hotline telephone number established under subsection (a) on any invoice, bill, or other communication provided to a passenger or customer of the operator.

  This section introduces requirements for air carriers and air ambulance operators to display a hotline number for passenger complaints, ensuring better accessibility for consumers.

• 49 U.S.C. § 41712(a)

  air ambulance customer,

  This change expands the definition of who can file complaints regarding unfair or deceptive practices to include air ambulance customers.

• 49 U.S.C. § 41712(a)

  In this subsection, the term `air carrier' includes an air ambulance operator and the term `air transportation' includes any transportation provided by an air ambulance.

  This clarification ensures that air ambulance operators are subject to the same regulations applicable to air carriers regarding unfair or deceptive practices.

Action History

1. May 10, 2018

   Introduced in Senate

2. May 10, 2018

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsors

• Claire McCaskill · Primary

Subjects