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Allied Pilots Association Urges Inclusion of Cabin Air Safety Act in FAA Bill
“Issue that deserves immediate action,” says head of American Airlines’ pilots union
FORT WORTH, Texas (June 28, 2017) — The Allied Pilots Association has endorsed the Cabin Air Safety Act, which U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has proposed as an amendment to the Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill (S. 1405).
“The Allied Pilots Association has done a great deal of work on the issue of clean cabin air, and we urge the inclusion of the Cabin Air Safety Act in the FAA reauthorization bill,” said APA President CA Dan Carey. “Senator Blumenthal rightly recognizes the critical importance of ensuring healthy cabin air for our passengers and crewmembers. It’s a health and safety issue that deserves immediate action by policymakers.”
According to academic research, approximately 20,000 toxic fume events have occurred during the past 10 years — an average of five each day. A toxic fume event occurs when the air inside the aircraft becomes contaminated from engine bleed air. The Cabin Air Safety Act would mandate training of airline personnel regarding how to identify toxic fumes, require the Federal Aviation Administration to record and monitor reports of such events, require follow-up investigations, and mandate installation of carbon monoxide sensors on aircraft.
“The health impact of a toxic fume event can be devastating, up to and including immediate incapacitation,” Carey said. “This is an issue that affects airline crewmembers and passengers alike, and we respectfully request that the Senate Commerce Committee adopt this important amendment.”
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association — the largest independent pilots union in the United States — is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org. American Airlines is the world’s largest passenger airline.