Safer Skies Act Holds Charters To Airline Security Standards

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) praised U.S. Representatives Nick Langworthy (R-NY) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) for reintroducing the Safer Skies Act, that would make passenger carriers operating under Parts 135 and 380 subject to the same strict security procedures as the other scheduled carriers, i.e., the airlines.

Capt. Jason Ambrosi, President of ALPA said, “Allowing Part 135/Part 380 operators to take advantage of less strict security protocols introduces risk into our aviation system, and we are grateful for Representatives Langworthy and Veasey for their leadership on this issue. Passengers deserve the same high level of aviation security regardless of their departure point and destination.”

The Safer Skies Act requires TSA (Transportation Security Administration) to hold Part 135/Part 380 operators who offer scheduled commercial service with more than nine seats to the same security standards as any other scheduled passenger carrier in the country.

The airlines are concerned that Part 135/Part 380 carriers – for example JSX – operate from facilities that do not have the same level of passenger security screening as required of the airlines under Part 121.

Ambrosi added, “By addressing the security threats created by the loophole, we close a dangerous precedent that would spark a race to the bottom and wholly undermine aviation security. The Safer Skies Act is one important step toward what our industry needs at this critical moment in history.”

FMI:  www.alpa.org/