Press Releases

Buffalo, New York- February 9, 2010 – As the one year anniversary of the tragic regional airline plane crash that took the lives of their loved ones approaches, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ urged all members of the flying public to view “Flying Cheap”, a one hour expose on the corner-cutting and questionable safety practices of the nation’s regional airlines. The show, a one-hour PBS FRONTLINE special, will be aired tonight, Tuesday, February 9th at 9 p.m. ET – check your local listings for complete details. (more…)

“Experience, Maturity Was Needed for First Officer to Intervene”, Says NTSB Chair

Buffalo, New York- February 3, 2010 – In the wake of the National Transportation Safety Board’s final report on the February 12th crash of Continental Flight 3407, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ turned their attention to achieving long-overdue government action on key aviation safety issues, focusing on the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Bill and new pilot qualification requirements in the Senate, and new FAA-driven regulations in the areas of training and fatigue. (more…)

The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ and the City of Buffalo will re-unite and “Walk to Complete the Journey” to commemorate the one year anniversary in honor of their loved ones on Friday, February 12 at 9:30am, Clarence, NY, followed by a press conference at Buffalo Niagara International Airport at Read more…

Buffalo, New York- February 2, 2010 – The determined efforts of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ to raise minimum experience and qualification requirements for all commercial airline pilots, particularly at the regional level, gained significant support with the addition of Senators Robert Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Kerry (D-MA), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) as co-sponsors to a key aviation safety initiative that the family group is advocating for. (more…)

Over sixty members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ are expected to be in attendance at the National Transportation Safety Board public hearing on Tuesday, February 2, and will be making a group statement at approximately 11:45 am outside the NTSB’s Conference Center during lunch recess, Washington, D.C. The Read more…

Buffalo, New York- January 29, 2010 – The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public hearing on the final accident report for Continental Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, on Tuesday, February 2nd, at 9:30 a.m. in the NTSB Conference Center in Washington. Over sixty members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ are expected to be in attendance, and as the final chapter in the investigative phase is completed and the one year anniversary approaches, the group is calling for quicker action from two key government entities to prevent a repeat of this tragedy. (more…)

Buffalo, New York- January 25, 2010 – PBS FRONTLINE will air a one hour special Tuesday, February 9th, at 9 p.m. ET entitled ‘Flying Cheap’ – a revealing look at the inner workings of the regional airline industry. The documentary will explore many of the issues brought to light by the tragic crash of Continental Flight 3407 on February 12th, 2009, killing all forty nine aboard the plane as well as one person on the ground. In particular, it will feature telling interviews from former Colgan pilots and other industry insiders. (more…)

Buffalo, New York- January 19, 2010 – Continuing their push for passage of the FAA Reauthorization Bill, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ announced that they would attend the Commerce Committee’s hearing on Aviation Security, to be held Wednesday, January 20th, at 2:30 pm in Room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The hearing topic has special significance for the family of passenger Beverly Eckert, who lost her husband Sean Rooney in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and became a fierce advocate for homeland security reform. (more…)

Buffalo, New York- January 14, 2010 – As the Senate reconvenes next week and the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ continue their push for the passage of the FAA Reauthorization bill, the group praised The Buffalo News for its recent four-part series (http://www.buffalonews.com/specialreports/whos_flying_your_airplane/) on the state of pilot experience and training, particularly at our nation’s regional airlines. (more…)

Buffalo, New York- January 4, 2010 – As Americans across the country celebrated the holidays with family gatherings, religious observances, and gift giving, it was a different feeling for the families of victims of Continental Flight 3407. Nearing eleven months after the Continental Express flight operated by Colgan Air crashed into a home in Clarence Center, New York, taking the lives of forty nine passengers, an unborn baby, and a person on the ground, their families experienced their first December holiday season without their loved ones. (more…)