Teamsters Local 1224 Applauds "Safe Skies Act of 2013"

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Nov 13, 2013, 04:57 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following today's news that Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has re-introduced the "Safe Skies Act" in the 113th Congress, the Airline Professionals Association (APA), Teamsters Local 1224 issued a formal statement of support for Senator Boxer's continued efforts with this crucial piece of safety legislation.

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"We are grateful to Senator Boxer for her continued efforts in support of air safety by re-introducing this bill," stated APA Teamsters Local 1224's President Daniel Wells. "Senator Boxer has been a strong advocate of safe skies and one level of safety, and we are grateful to her for her support of endeavors that further the safety of aviation."

The bill, first introduced in 2012, would bring the safety standard for cargo pilots into alignment with the standard that was previously established for passenger pilots, ensuring that all of America's pilots are sufficiently rested before they fly. The Safe Skies Act was re-introduced in the 113th Congress by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and with co-sponsors Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Flight time/duty time rules addressing pilot fatigue were issued by the FAA in December 2011 and will take effect in January 2014. The rule failed to meet the mandate of "One Level of Safety" because it provides an "exemption" that allows all-cargo and supplemental carriers to "opt in-or-out" of the new rule. This has created an unacceptable second tier of safety that is contrary to what the flight time/duty rules were intended to address. The Safe Skies Act of 2013 addresses this double standard and would level the industry rules to provide safe transportation regardless of whether cargo or passengers are riding in the rear of an aircraft.

"Fatigue is a human factor and does not discriminate between types of operations, aircraft type or what is being carried on the aircraft," said Local 1224 Vice President Mark Niles. "Safety regulations shouldn't discriminate either, and this bill demonstrates that Senator Boxer recognizes that."

All-cargo and supplemental carriers share the same airspace, airports, runways and taxiways with passenger carriers and should be subject to the same safety regulations. There is no scientific or historic foundation for establishing a separate set of pilot duty and rest rules based on the type of operation they conduct. Allowing some carriers to conduct business with a separate set of standards creates an unfair economic advantage that is not grounded in science or good policy.

APA Teamsters Local 1224 fully supports the adoption of industry fatigue rules that require all air carriers to adhere to the highest level of safety standards. The public deserves no less and it demands no less.

The Airline Professionals Association Teamsters Local 1224 is affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division and represents nearly 4000 members among ten air carriers that operate both passenger and cargo aircraft. Local 1224 is the certified bargaining unit that represents all flight crew members employed by ABX Air, Inc., Allegiant Air, Atlas Air, Inc., Brendan Airways, LLC, Horizon Air Industries, Inc., Hyannis Air Services, Inc., Kalitta Air, LLC, Miami Air International, Omni Air International, Silver Airways Corporation, and Southern Air, Inc.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 1224