One of the issues adding to the misery of air travelers is a shortage of air traffic controllers. When they come up short of people in the tower, airspace can be closed. That causes aircraft to change course and fly around that closed part of the sky. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives made a step toward solving that problem. They passed the bipartisan Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (H.R. 3935), also known as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill.

The bill will now head to the Senate before being signed into law. It aims to fund the FAA through 2028 and includes measures to increase air traffic controller hiring targets, establish a workforce development program for aviation professionals, raise the commercial airline pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, and set standards for aircraft boarding and deplaning for individuals with disabilities.

The bill also elevates the role of travel advisors as vital stakeholders in the travel distribution system and consumer advocates. It limits travel agencies’ refund obligations to scenarios where they possess the funds, expands the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee to include a travel agency seat, streamlines consumer disclosure requirements during “offline” transactions, and creates a new “Passenger Experience Advisory Committee” with a seat for ticket agents. The bill aims to modernize the U.S. air travel system and address workforce shortages to improve the travel experience and increase the country’s global competitiveness. The Senate has its own version of the bill, and both chambers have until September 30 to finalize it.