The Federal Aviation Administration has given airlines another year to comply with rules requiring new aircraft to equip second-cockpit barriers despite opposition from the largest coalition of pilots in the United States.
The American and Regional Aviation Association's trade group airlines had requested an extension until the August 25th deadline.
The issue is the 2023 FAA regulations requiring airlines to equip new aircraft with so-called “installed physical barriers” by August 25th. The device complements existing cockpit doors and aims to better prevent intruders from entering the cockpit.
The rules have been in operation for many years, spurring the September 2001 New York terrorist attacks.
“The FAA has granted a one-year exemption to install and use additional barriers on new commercial planes to protect against unauthorized access to flight decks,” the FAA says. “This will allow time to promote FAA certification and install barriers.”
The Airlines Association had argued that meeting deadlines was not practical as the manufacturer of the barriers had not yet received the required approval from the FAA. So, the airline has yet to develop a cockpit barrier training program, as requested by the FAA, the group said.
The Air Line Pilots Association has stepped back by saying the rules and their implementation had been postponed for a long time. He is now expressing his disappointment at the FAA decision.
“The FAA's decision to grant airlines yet another delay in secondary barrier rules is extremely disappointing and undermines aviation security in our country,” says Union President Jason Ambrosi. “This endless pattern of delays has to stop. The airline has spent plenty of time complying with the safety requirements mandated by this legislature.”
