Press Releases

Attempt to Counter Industry’s Lobbying Dollars and Pressure with Human Side of the Issue

Buffalo, New York- December 6, 2011 – In the wake of media reports that have cited assurances from Obama administration officials to New York congressional delegation members that critical new guidelines on pilot fatigue will be enacted prior to Christmas, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ have launched a holiday season outreach to highlight the loved ones they lost, as well as the numerous safety initiatives on the FAA’s docket.

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Call Out Airline Lobbyists Who Continue to Obstruct Process

Buffalo, New York- December 1, 2011 – As the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration missed another deadline on issuing critical new pilot flight and duty time limits geared at addressing a decades-old problem of pilot fatigue, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ lashed out at the continued delay in the process.

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Echo Letter from Western New York Congressional Delegation to Justice Department

Buffalo, New York- October 31, 2011 – The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ strongly endorsed a letter sent by the Western New York congressional delegation to Attorney General Eric Holder, asking for a Justice Department investigation of whether Colgan Air, who operated the fatal crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407, violated federal law. The letter comes on the heels of revelations that Colgan withheld relevant emails from NTSB investigators, as well as questions of whether Colgan officials misled investigators in their testimony.

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Calls on Congress to Investigate This Breach of Responsibility to the Flying Public

Buffalo, New York- October 25, 2011 – In the midst of an aviation safety crusade that has encompassed over forty trips to Washington to fight for stronger standards and oversight of regional airlines, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ lashed out at Colgan Air over the release of internal company email correspondence that once again brought the training credentials of Flight 3407’s pilot into question. Kevin Kuwik, who lost his thirty-year-old girlfriend Lorin Maurer in the crash, and is not party to any legal action against Colgan or Pinnacle, issued the following statement calling on Congress to investigate why Colgan was not completely forthcoming in initially providing this documentation to NTSB investigators over two-and-a-half years ago: (more…)

Call Out Another Industry Play for Behind-the-Scenes Influence on Administration on Pilot Fatigue and Other Safety Initiatives

Buffalo, New York- September 21, 2011 – As a critical pilot fatigue safety initiative flounders at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ lashed out at the Airline Transport Association’s (ATA) recent announcement that it had appointed Sean Kennedy, formerly White House Special Assistant to the President, to the position of Senior Vice President Global Government Affairs. (more…)

Colgan Lands at Wrong Airport and Receives FAA Fine for Training Shortcuts in Same Week

Buffalo, New York- September 16, 2011 – The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ responded to news of two safety lapses at Colgan Air this week by reiterating the importance of stronger aviation safety guidelines, particularly for the nation’s regional carriers. In the space of one week, Colgan had a pilot land his plane at the wrong airport, and received notice of a proposed $1.9 million fine from the FAA for using improperly-trained flight attendants on 172 flights. “

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Families Revisit May 2010 Meeting with President

Buffalo, New York- September 13, 2011 – With Senator Chuck Schumer at their side, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ announced Tuesday that they were sending a letter (text included below) to President Barack Obama, calling on him to deliver on the assurances he gave group members at a May 2010 meeting in Buffalo, New York. The letter comes at a critical juncture in the group’s fight for higher aviation safety standards, as the airlines and their lobbyists attempt to obstruct the enactment of an update to our nation’s fifty-year old flight and duty time regulations for pilots.

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Victims’ Families Fight to Counter Industry Resistance to Critical New Pilot Fatigue Regulation

Buffalo, New York- September 12, 2011 – With the Federal Aviation Administration now six weeks late in meeting Congress’s mandate to issue a new pilot flight and duty time regulation, members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ will be in Washington on Tuesday to push for action from the White House. In addition to meeting with the White House Office of Management and Budget, where the fatigue safety reform is currently being held up, the group has scheduled a major announcement for late Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill.

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Flight 3407 Victim Beverly Eckert Learned That FAA, Government Did Nothing Despite Being Warned for Over 30 Years

Buffalo, New York- September 9, 2011 – Since losing their sister and 9/11 widow Beverly Eckert in the crash of Continental Flight 3407 in February 2009, her sisters Karen Eckert and Susan Bourque have been key members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’, fiercely advocating for stronger aviation safety measures. As the ten year anniversary of 9/11 approaches, they drew parallels between the FAA’s long-time inaction on cockpit security which contributed to 9/11, and its current struggles in issuing a long-overdue new regulation on pilot flight and duty times.

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ATA, Cargo and Non-Scheduled Carriers Pull Out All Stops to Pressure White House to Back Down on Babbitt and LaHood’s Top Safety Priority

Buffalo, New York- September 6, 2011 – With the White House seemingly in gridlock and already late in meeting a Congressional deadline for issuing a new pilot flight and duty time regulation, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ lashed out at the airline industry and its lobbying arm for their continued efforts to fight this critical safety initiative.

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