FAA to give flight attendants more rest between shifts

Federal aviation officials on Tuesday mandated more time off between flights for flight attendants.

The new rule takes effect in about 30 days and increases to 10 consecutive hours, from nine hours under previous rules, the required rest period between trips for flight attendants, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday in a statement.

“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 in the statement. “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 pushed for the additional rest time, saying flight attendants wearied by the pandemic are tired and overworked after working shifts as long as 14 hours.

This is a developing story and will be updated.