AIRLINES FOR AMERICA SEEKS DELAY FOR SECONDARY COCKPIT RULE
July 14, 2025
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.
Airlines for America recently filed a Petition urging the FAA to delay by two years the secondary cockpit requirement set to take effect on August 25, 2025. The final rule, which dates back to 2023, would require covered air carriers to install and operate Installed Physical Secondary Barriers (“IPSB”) to better protect against unauthorized flightdeck intrusions. Importantly, the final rule only covers Part 121 operators and would apply most directly to aircraft manufactured after August 25, 2025. Aircraft manufactured prior to this date will not need to be retrofitted with a secondary barrier. The final rule further requires that the barrier would need to be deployed when the cockpit door is open during flight with additional requirements for airline personnel to verify compliance. A4A warns in its Petition that the entire process, from equipment certification to crew training, could take up to 24 months to effectively implement. Since the FAA has neither approved of a secondary cockpit barrier, nor produced manuals, procedures, or training on this matter, A4A contends that it would be difficult for covered air carriers to meet the current compliance timeline. In response, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (“AFA”) and others filed comments on June 23, 2025, arguing that A4A was stalling without sufficient justification. Opponents of A4A’s position urge the FAA to immediately deny the Petition and proceed with swift implementation of IPSB on new commercial aircraft.
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; or Tyler Myers at 202.659.6642 or trmyers@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
Share This Post
Authors
