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Allied Pilots Association Voices Strong Support for Cabin Air Safety Act
“We applaud Senators Blumenthal, Feinstein, and Markey for this important legislative initiative,” says head of American Airlines’ pilots union
FORT WORTH, Texas (July 25, 2017) — The Allied Pilots Association reaffirmed its endorsement of the Cabin Air Safety Act, which U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced today. The legislation is designed to protect passengers and crew from the harmful effects of toxic cabin air.
“As a critical health and safety issue, toxic cabin air deserves immediate action by policymakers, and we applaud Senators Blumenthal, Feinstein, and Markey for this important legislative initiative,” said APA President CA Dan Carey. “The Allied Pilots Association has invested considerable time and effort on the issue of toxic cabin air.”
Academic research indicates that 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.
“A toxic fume event can be devastating, up to and including immediate incapacitation,” Carey said. “It’s an issue affecting everyone on board — airline crewmembers and passengers alike — and we urge Congress to enact necessary safeguards by promptly adopting the Cabin Air Safety Act.”
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.