49 U.S.C. § 42307 — Requirement to maintain a live customer chat or monitored text messaging number

(a) Requirement. (1) In general -- a covered airline flying a domestic or international route to, from, or within the United States must maintain at least one of these: (A) a customer service phone line staffed by live agents; (B) a chat option letting customers reach a live agent within a reasonable time, as much as practical; or (C) a monitored text messaging number letting customers directly reach a live agent. (2) Provision of services -- these services must be free to customers and available at all times. (b) Rulemaking Authority. The Secretary must write whatever rules are needed to carry out this section. (c) Covered Air Carrier Defined. "Covered air carrier" means an airline selling tickets for scheduled passenger service on an aircraft designed, as originally built, to seat 30 or more passengers. (d) Effective Date. Starting 120 days after this section became law, a covered airline must comply with subsection (a) -- whether or not the Secretary has finished writing rules to carry it out by that date.