The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a final rule requiring that flight attendants receive longer periods of rest between shifts. The new rule increases the rest period to 10 consecutive hours.
“Flight attendants, like all essential transportation workers, work hard every day to keep the travelling public safe, and we owe them our full support,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This new rule will make it easier for flight attendants to do their jobs, which in turn will keep all of us safe in the air.”
The new rule updates the previous requirement of nine consecutive hours of rest between shifts. It also fulfils the requirements of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which directed the FAA to increase the minimum rest period for flight attendants with scheduled duty of 14 hours or less and eliminate the provision that permitted rest to be reduced in certain circumstances.
“Flight attendants perform critical safety roles. This rule puts them and safety first,” said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen.
The FAA held two public comment periods totalling more than 105 days on the proposed rest requirement in 2019 and 2021. The agency reviewed over 1,000 comments from flight attendants, airlines and the public.
The final rule will become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
US airlines recognise the importance of prioritising the well-being of all employees, and the majority of US flight attendants already receive 10 hours of rest. “The safety of all crewmembers and passengers is always the top priority of the US airline industry,” said Hannah Walden, a spokeswoman at Airlines for America (A4A). “Having rested and alert flight attendants who are prepared to carry out their responsibilities, including cabin safety and other duties, is critical to this goal.”
European airlines already have a similar EASA rule for flight attendants, which receive 10 hours of rest away from home and 12 hours at their home base.
This post was published on 4 October 2022 17:47
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