WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Thursday signed sweeping aviation legislation to boost U.S. air traffic controller staffing, increase funding to avert runway close-call incidents and speed refunds for canceled flights.

The $105 billion, five-year measure prohibits airlines from charging fees for families to sit together, requires airplanes to be equipped with 25-hour cockpit recording devices bill and raises maximum civil penalties for airline consumer violations from $25,000 per violation to $75,000.

Biden has repeatedly clashed with air carriers, calling for new stricter consumer rules and harshly criticizing them for imposing fees. His administration has also aggressively moved to block further consolidation in the passenger airline industry.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Susan Heavey and Brendan O'Boyle)