As rail labor unions celebrated the Federal Railroad Administration’s new regulation requiring two-person crews on freight trains, airline pilot unions raised the question: Can the same policy continue for aircrafts? While current U.S. regulations require two pilots on the flight deck, the airline industry is lobbying to change that. In Europe, regulators are caving to pressure from airlines and appear to be willing to allow reduced crew operations there.
In a Forbes article exploring this dangerous trend, the Teamsters Rail Conference were adamant that regulations requiring two pilots on airplanes should continue in the airline industry.
Teamsters Rail Conference President and BLET First Vice President Mark Wallace said: “Requiring two crew members to operate a multi-ton freight train that is several miles long should be common sense, but now, there is thankfully a rule that mandates it.”
On behalf of the Teamsters Airline Division, spokesman Matt McQuaid said: “In addition to the new two-person crew requirement for railroads, the Teamsters also support the FAA’s two-pilot minimum requirement in cockpits. In both cases, it is critical to the safety of workers and the public.”
More information in this article from Forbes.