Says Applying The Rules To All Cargo Pilots Is Not Justified

Industry trade organization Airlines for America (A4A) has affirmed its support for the FAA's decision to apply the recent final rule on crew-member duty limits and rest only to scheduled passenger airline operations, and voiced strong opposition to newly proposed legislation that would reverse the careful analysis and conclusion by FAA that applying the rule to all-cargo carriers could not be justified.

"The FAA flight-time limitations and rest-requirements rulemaking was a thorough undertaking successfully built on a foundation of existing safety measures, fatigue mitigations and diverse airline operating environments," A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio said in a statement. "This long-overdue rule puts the safe operation of passenger and cargo airlines first for customers and crew members as U.S. airlines continue to operate at the safest level in history."

The legislation was introduced this week by U.S. Representatives Chip Cravaack (R-MN) and Tim Bishop (D-NY). Cravaack is a former cargo pilot. The bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to apply the rule relating to flight crew member duty and rest requirements to all-cargo operations in the same manner as they apply to passenger operations.

The bill has been supported by ALPA and UPS. It currently has no companion bill in the U.S. Senate.

FMI: www.airlines.org