The Federal Aviation Administration Implements New Rule That Allows More Resting Time For Flight Attendants

The Federal Aviation Administration has mandated a new rule that allows flight attendants more resting time.

On Tuesday, federal aviation officials announced a new rule that increases testing time to ten consecutive hours, from nine hours.

“Flight attendants, like all essential transportation workers, work hard every day to keep the traveling public safe. And we owe them our full support,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “This new rule will make it easier for flight attendants to do their jobs, which in turn will keep all of us safe in the air.”

Flight crew unions have previously pushed for additional resting time. The unions said that flight attendants have been tired and overworked since the COVID pandemic. They also claim attendants are working shifts as long as 14 hours.

President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, Sara Nelson, commended the FAA’s new rule. Nelson said the new practice would make flying safer for more than 100,000 flight attendants and passengers.

According to Nelson, flight attendants “need this rest more than ever in the most difficult time to work our jobs in the history of aviation.”

Just last week, flight attendants at United and Southwest protested at airports across the country to bring awareness to the chaotic scheduling and workplace environment.