US lawmakers and consumer advocates are calling for an expansion of the government’s role in overseeing airlines, with some arguing that regulatory expansion will only erode competition. The debate dominated a Senate hearing in March in which lawmakers considered provisions that could be included in the Federal Aviation Administrations’ next spending bill. Proposals include those that would require airlines to refund passengers for tickets on cancelled flights, and prohibit airlines from charging passengers to sit beside family members. Other proposals call for airlines to publish their ancillary fee revenue and to report operational statistics. However, some, including Jeffrey Shane, the former US Department of Transportation’s under-secretary of policy, argue that expanding regulation could lead to higher fares and reduced transparency. The hearing also examined the proposed acquisition of Spirit Airlines by JetBlue. The US Department of Justice has sued to block the deal on anti-competitive grounds, and a trial is set to begin in October.