FAA pushes safety regulation to protect flight deck as unruly passenger rates remain high.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday said it is proposing a new requirement that would protect the flight deck by adding a second barrier as unruly passengers continue to make headlines.
The mandate would require planes used in commercial flights to install a second physical barrier between the passengers and flight crew.
“Each additional layer of safety matters. Protecting flight crews helps keep our system the safest in the world,” FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen said.
The White House in 2021 added the second barrier stipulation to its “priority rulemaking list” after the FAA consulted with aircraft manufacturers, labor partners and other officials on how to increase air safety, the FAA said in a Wednesday statement.
“Flight crews keep us safe when we travel to visit loved ones, explore new places and conduct business. They, too, deserve to be protected, and this rulemaking is an important step forward,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
While the public have 60 days to comment on the proposed regulation, the announcement comes as passengers have increasingly made headlines for acting out while onboard.