NTSB CLOSES IN ON REVISED GUIDANCE FOR PASSENGER LIST/MANIFEST DISTRIBUTION & CONTROL
August 15, 2024
Eckert Seamans has prepared the information in this update for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice nor substitute for legal advice. Neither your receipt of information from this website nor your use of this website to contact Eckert Seamans or one of its attorneys creates an attorney-client relationship, as the firm may, for example, already represent another party involved in your matter. Accordingly, you should not provide confidential information to Eckert Seamans. Persons seeking legal advice should consult a licensed professional attorney in their state. The firm’s Terms of Use, Legal Notice, and Disclaimer detailed herein are expressly incorporated into the Aviation Regulatory Update.
On July 7, 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”) announced that it will be revising its previously issued Guidance for Passenger List/Manifest Distribution and Control. The revisions come as a result of the May 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 which made changes to family assistance legislation for carriers and the emergency response community related to the distribution of the passenger list/manifest following an accident involving an air carrier or foreign air carrier.
The NTSB will include the following changes to previously released guidance in order to conform with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024:
- When NTSB, but not the American Red Cross, receives a passenger list from a carrier involved in an accident, NTSB may now share that information with a “local, Tribal, State, or Federal agency responsible for determining the whereabouts or welfare of a passenger.” However, these collaborating agencies may not release this information without the express permission of NTSB.
- Carriers are already free to independently share passenger list information with response agencies when requested, but revised guidance clarifies that carriers should notify NTSB when they deny such requests.
The NTSB is currently reviewing feedback regarding this revised guidance and expects to release a final version by the end of August 2024.
This Aviation Blog is intended to keep readers current on developments in the law. It is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr at 202.659.6622 or esahr@eckertseamans.com; Drew Derco at 202-659-6665 or dderco@eckertseamans.com; Jay Julien at 202.659.6648 or jjulien@eckertseamans.com, Andrew Orr at 202-659-6625 or aorr@eckertseamans.com, or Samanta Walter at 412.566.1920 or swalter@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
Share This Post
Authors
