WASHINGTON, D.C. – Twenty-four years since September 11, 2001, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA President Sara Nelson – a 29 year Flight Attendant – released the following statement about the persistent efforts of airline management to fight installation of secondary flight deck barriers. At their behest the Trump administration delayed implementation of the federal mandate once again this year:
“Flight Attendants were the first to die 24 years ago as terrorists wrestled their way into the flight deck. Reinforced doors were installed within 18 months, while 24 years later it’s still Flight Attendant bodies that stand in the way of those doors and mass casualties in the air and on the ground.
“Airlines have fought every step of the way to delay mandatory Installed Physical Secondary Barriers (IPSB) – a safety provision long fought for by aviation unions. ‘Safety and security first’ is in word only for the corporate bean counters.
“It is disgusting airlines have fought this simple life saving device all these years in favor of a few pieces of silver. We will Never Forget. It seems they will never care.”
