Pilots and flight attendants across the United States have reacted with anger and dismay over a petition from a major airline industry lobby that wants to delay the introduction of a new law that will require airplanes to have two cockpit doors.
In 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave airlines and aircraft manufacturers two years to start installing the second door on new airplanes, but with the deadline fast approaching, the industry is asking for a 24-month extension.
In a petition to the FAA, Washington-based lobby group Airlines 4 America says the industry desperately needs more time to develop training materials, as well as roll out the training to tens of thousands of aircrew across the US.
Technically known as an ‘Installed Physical Secondary Barrier’ or IPSB for short, the second door sits between the forward galley and the primary bulletproof cockpit door.
Most of the time, the IPSB would be open, but whenever a pilot needs to leave the cockpit in-flight, such as going to the lavatory or even making themselves a cup of coffee, the IPSB would be closed and locked to prevent a breach of the cockpit.
US lawmakers approved the mandatory deployment of IPSBs back in 2018 when an FAA Reauthorization Act was passed, but the necessary rule to make it a reality was ignored by the first Trump administration.
During President Biden’s term in office, however, the law was revived with a requirement for new ‘factory fresh’ aircraft delivered to US airlines to have an IPSB installed from August 2025 onwards.
New aircraft are expected to be delivered with IPSBs installed from the required deadline, but A4A, which represents major carriers including American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines, says it wants the IPSBs to sit idle for the next two years.
The reason is that airlines have failed to develop training packages for flight attendants and pilots who will use the doors.
“Airlines have had two years to implement the regulation, yet they are now attempting to further delay this needed aviation security enhancement,” slammed Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
“We urge the FAA to reject this latest stalling tactic and implement without delay the secondary barrier requirement as Congress mandated,” Ambrosi continued.
He added: “As we approach the 24th anniversary of 9/11, it is imperative that we continue to honor those lost by implementing a critical aviation security regulation designed to prevent a repeat of that fateful day.”
That was a sentiment shared by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), which represents 85,000 crew members across the United States.
“There can be no justification for allowing airlines to leave any properly functioning IPSB unused,” the union said in a comment to the FAA. “A single successful terrorist attack on an aircraft with an unused IPSB would be inexcusable.”
The union believes that tens of thousands of flight attendants will not only have to complete e-learning on the use of IPSBs, including watching a video, but also take part in practical hands-on training, which could significantly increase the time and cost for airlines to roll out this training.
As it stands, flight attendants in the United States normally block the cockpit with a beverage cart whenever the flight deck door has to be opened in-flight.
ALPA, which represents pilots at United Airlines, however, warns that “unruly passenger incidents and attempted breaches continue to occur regularly.”
The IPSB rule only applies to newly built aircraft and will not be required for any planes that are already in service. That’s not to say that retrofitting IPSBs onto older aircraft isn’t possible – it’s just that airlines aren’t ever likely to make that kind of investment.
What BS. Not a single airline pilot I fly with has EVER even brought this concern up! I have advanced flight deck security training and even in those classes there were no significant issues. We can already deadbolt the door where it is almost impossible to get in. This extra “security” is likely to trap me inside the flight deck in the event of an accident!
It’s a door, how much. Training does a person need to close a door. It’s not as if the airline industry hasn’t been training staff for new things for many decades. Typical stall tactics for the sake of money but not for safety.
Not clear text. A diagram would be useful.
More waste and abuse. This simply doesn’t happen and is just another feel good created by bureaucrats lining their pockets from the contractors and unions profiting. The article states there have been unruly passengers who have attempted, but not successful, and presumably all have been banned from flying.
The TSA has cost us billions, if not trillions, and there’s been no record of benefit. This is simply another scam to make money through fear.
Not sure I want to be on the plane that has a pilot needing training to use a door!
A second flight deck door is a waste of time and money and only adds additional weight and fuel burn. If passengers would just listen to and adhere to the rules and regulations already in place, there shouldn’t be any need for a second cockpit door…
I am a pilot, and no one is enraged… in fact no one even remembers this. Who writes this trash? Why does boarding area allow pure garbage?
No training for the max but will need training to open a door.please…
Clearly our flight attendants would be able to figure out how to open and close a door without hours of training. This is about money as usual.
Get the facts straight. The delay is requested by the smaller carriers who also would be required to provide this secondary barrier. Don’t know if you’ve paid particular attention to the galleys on smaller planes, but this is next to impossible to do. The proposed barriers are laughable at best.