Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

AFA Statement on Senate Markup of FAA Reauthorization Bill

Washington, DC (June 29, 2017)  — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) issued the following statement on the Senate FAA Reauthorization Bill (S.1405) as it moves out of the Commerce Committee to the full Senate:

"Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today stood for up for equal 10 hour minimum rest for Flight Attendants, consistent with pilot rules. We applaud her words to colleagues for harmonization with the House bill to ensure 10 hours minimum rest for Flight Attendants and not a minute less."

Both the Senate and House bills already include a Fatigue Risk Management Plan for Flight Attendants to address fatigue in the operation. 

“Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced an important amendment for clean air in the cabin, championing the issue for Flight Attendants and passengers. Tackling this issue is long overdue to address the toxic fumes that can circulate in cabin air. The amendment will require the industry to acknowledge that toxic fumes in the cabin are a real issue that must be addressed.”

Following committee action, the Senate FAA Reauthorization Bill also includes several other Flight Attendant priorities supported by AFA: banning voice calls on planes, secondary cockpit barriers, supports non-chemical insect barriers, customer service agent assault penalties, cabin evacuation certification standards, impact of seat pitch on safety, nursing rooms in airports, review of emergency medical kit contents, and improved lithium ion battery regulations.

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The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 71 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.