Source: US DOT Rulemaking Finalized on 33rd Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act On the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced a new rule which requires airline lavatories to be more accessible. This rulemaking, authorized by the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), would require airlines to make lavatories on new single-aisle aircraft large enough to permit a passenger with a disability and attendant, both equivalent in size to a 95th percentile male, to approach, enter, and maneuver within as necessary to use the aircraft lavatory. Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg previewed this rule at a White House ADA Anniversary event earlier this month. "Traveling [...]

Source: ICAO To further assist air transport regulators and operators in their mitigation of security threats associated with air cargo activities, ICAO and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have released a revised supply chain and secure mail publication today. The highly complex nature of the air cargo and mail operating environment, involving a multiplicity of entities, might add to the day-to-day operational difficulties of implementing security measures and countering threats. The advice, which has been published in the third edition of “Moving Air Cargo Globally”, describes the roles and responsibilities of these various entities, and highlights how they can work together effectively to secure air cargo and mail within the regulatory framework. “Maintaining operational efficiency and commercial viability has always [...]

Source: ALPA The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. The bill contained a poison-pill provision, which, if enacted by the Senate, could raise the airline pilot retirement age from 65 to 67. “As the world’s largest nongovernmental aviation safety organization, ALPA is committed to keeping flying safe. Unfortunately, H.R. 3935 as passed by the House will introduce new risk by raising the mandatory pilot retirement age. “Raising the retirement age is not only a solution in search of a problem, but it is also a proposal that has not been studied or vetted by aviation safety experts—those upon [...]

Source: IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the following statement by its Director General, Willie Walsh, on the performance of the United States and Canadian air traffic control (ATC) organizations. "Over the past 12-18 months airlines have responded to the very strong post-pandemic travel demand by adding tens of thousands of employees to their workforces. US passenger airline employment is now at its highest level in over two decades, for example. In contrast, ATC staff shortages in North America continue to produce unacceptable delays and disruptions for the traveling public on both sides of the border. United States "The recent report by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of the Inspector General makes clear that the Federal [...]