Flight Attendant Union Statement on Continued Uncertainty Around 737 MAX
Washington, D.C. (March 12, 2019) — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) is calling on the FAA to temporarily ground the 737 MAX fleet in the U.S. out of an abundance of caution in the wake of a second fatal accident involving the 737 MAX 8 aircraft, and until FAA-identified fixes to the plane can be installed, communicated, and confirmed.
"This is about public confidence in the safety of air travel," said Sara Nelson, AFA president. "The United States has the safest aviation system in the world, but Americans are looking for leadership in this time of uncertainty. The FAA must act decisively to restore the public faith in the system. Again, we caution everyone to not jump to conclusions and not interrupt the integrity of the investigations."
Following the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, AFA called for an investigation of the 737 MAX. On Monday, the FAA announced it will require Boeing to make design updates to this plane. But as national carriers ground their fleets and a growing number of countries have banned the aircraft from their airspace, it is clear that a more robust response is required.
"The FAA's April deadline for updates is insufficient considering the legitimate fear and uncertainty following two deadly accidents involving this aircraft," Nelson continued. "The FAA must restore public confidence by grounding the 737 MAX until the required changes have been implemented and the public can be fully assured."
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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 73 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.
