US flight attendants call on FAA to implement safety initiatives

The head of the largest independent association of US flight attendants called on FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell to implement a host of safety initiatives from last year’s FAA Reauthorization Act, saying the agency “has already missed several deadlines” related to rest hours, seat size and toxic fumes. In an April 26 letter to Elwell, Association of Professional Flight Attendants (AFPA) national president Lori Bassani said the FAA had missed a deadline from the law requiring the agency to increase flight attendants’ minimum rest hours from 8 to 10 hrs., which the law states can “not be reduced in any circumstances.” The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 required the agency to modify the existing rule within 30 days of its passage in October 2018. An FAA spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the expected rule’s delay. Bassani also called on Elwell to act on a mandate from the law to study potential safety benefits of minimum seat dimensions. <br/>