Congratulations We Did It!

Flight Attendants Cheer 10 Hours Rest, No Calls or Knives on Planes, Air Quality Initiative, and Numerous Other Safety Priorities in FAA Reauthorization Bill

Washington, DC — The 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines represented by the Association of Flight Attendants–CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA), today cheered the passage of a five-year FAA Reauthorization Bill including a 10 hour minimum rest provision to combat Flight Attendant fatigue. The bill includes more Flight Attendant safety priorities including forever banning knives on planes, no voice calls on planes, and extending the smoking ban to e-cigarettes. AFA International President Sara Nelson issued the following statement:

“Flight Attendants cheer the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 with a provision to combat Flight Attendant fatigue by increasing minimum rest from 8 hours to 10 hours. This bill closes a safety loophole while improving Flight Attendant health and achieving equal minimum rest with our flight deck counterparts.”

“We applaud Chairman Shuster (R-PA), Ranking Member DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman LoBiondo (R-NJ), Ranking Member Larsen (D-WA), Chairman John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL), Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), for their leadership in writing this legislation so important for a safe and dependable U.S. aviation system.”

The final bill received overwhelming bipartisan support. AFA especially notes Congressional champions for Flight Attendant 10 hours minimum rest:

House – Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA), Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Rep. Michael Bost (R-IL), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI), Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Rep. David McKinley (R-WV), and Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL).

Senate – Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) originally introduced the language when she was in the House and continued advocacy in the Senate. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) have all since worked hard to ensure the rest language would be included in a final FAA bill. We thank Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for weighing in when it especially counted to help us get our rest.

“Over 100,000 Flight Attendants from around the country made calls, signed postcards, rallied, repeatedly visited congressional offices and took other actions to achieve this outcome today. This bill lifts standards for Flight Attendants across the industry and addresses serious safety, health and security issues in our workplace – the passenger cabin,” Nelson concluded.

Summary of AFA safety priorities included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018:

• 10-hours Minimum Rest and a FRMP for Flight Attendants
• No Knives on Planes Ever Again
• Ban of Voice Calls on Planes
• Emotional Support and Service Animal Standards
• Air Quality: Technologies to Combat Contaminated Bleed Air
• Protect Customer Service agents from Assaults
• Cabin Cyber Security Vulnerabilities
• Secondary Cockpit Barriers
• Safe Transport of Lithium Batteries
• Study on Cabin Evacuation Certification (including cabin configuration)
• Increase Civil Penalties for Crew Interference from $25,000 to $35,000
• Banning Electronic Cigarette Smoking on Planes
• Congressional Focus on Addressing Sexual Misconduct on Planes
• Establish National Inflight Sexual Misconduct Task Force
• Require DOJ to Establish Reporting Process for Sexual Misconduct
• Prioritize Support for Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP)
• Requiring Privacy for Nursing in the Airport
• Evaluation and Update of Emergency Medical Kit Contents
• Oxygen Mask Design Study
• Develop Guidance for Non-Toxic Prevention of Transporting Insects
• Exit Row Evaluation and Verification
• Required Notification of Insecticide Use
• Promoting Women in Aviation
• TSA Authorization
• Continue Crewmember Self-Defense Training
• NTSB Reauthorization
• Expanded Human Trafficking Training for Airline Personnel
• Authorization of Essential Air Service