Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

Washington, DC (February 11, 2016) — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) cheered the members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their action to amend the Aviation Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2016 (AIRR Act) to include a 10 hour minimum rest provision based on science and sought by Flight Attendants for decades. This FAA Reauthorization Bill will set the priorities and funding for U.S. aviation for the coming years.

"Proper rest is critical for Flight Attendants to do our work as aviation’s first responders. We worked very hard to achieve this common sense regulation and we will continue to push until the minimum 10 hour rest becomes law. Science confirms Flight Attendant fatigue is real and we must all commit to combat fatigue for the continued safest transportation system in the world. AFA commends members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for working with us on proper rest and all of our safety initiatives for this bill,” said AFA International President Sara Nelson.

Currently, after working 14 hours federal regulations allows Flight Attendant rest to be reduced to 8 hours from the time the plane arrives until it departs again. Passenger deplaning, preflight preparation and passenger boarding is included within the rest period which means that the opportunity to actually sleep is closer to 4 or 5 hours before potentially working another 14 hour duty day. AFA’s “Fight for 10” also includes a Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP) for reporting instances of fatigue. The FRMP also provides education for Flight Attendants to determine when they are fatigued and what steps in addition to proper rest that can be taken to avoid it.

AFA supported components of the bill include:

• FAA Minimum Rest of 10 Hours and a Fatigue Risk Management Plan

• Human Trafficking Awareness Training

• Ban on Voice Communications in Flight

• A Review of Evacuation Certification Standards

• Secondary Barriers

• Improved Notification of Insecticide Use

• Smoking Ban for E-Cigarettes

AFA successfully led the fight against smoking onboard and supported the Norton Amendment to ban e-cigarettes which passed 33-26. The House Committee mark up is on-going and the final product may include additional safety issues important to Flight Attendants and our aviation worker counterparts. AFA is working with key Senators to ensure the 10 Hour Rest and FRMP language is included in the Senate version of the bill.

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The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 70 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 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us atwww.afacwa.org.