Press Releases

Call on Transportation Secretary to Sit Down with Group Members

Buffalo, New York – June 8, 2018 – In light of comments made by Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on Thursday that suggested that heightened experience requirements for entry-level regional airline first officers were creating a pilot shortage, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ reacted strongly in support of the rule that has resulted in over nine years of no fatalities on regional aircrafts, the longest such period in our nation’s history by over three times. The group members also called on Chao to meet with them and learn more about their loved ones who were lost in the crash, and the group’s subsequent quest to ensure that the mistakes that led to Flight 3407 are never allowed to be repeated. (more…)

Southwest Incident Once Again Highlights Importance of More, Not Less Experience in the Cockpit

Buffalo, New York – May 3, 2018 – With the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passing an FAA Reauthorization Bill that had no amendments brought forth to water down regional airline first officer experience requirements, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ commended the lower chamber and challenged the Senate to follow suit. It also called for regional airlines and their lobbyists to put an end to their quest to undercut the new rule and instead focus on initiatives geared towards attracting America’s youth to flying and making pilot training more attainable and affordable. (more…)

Group Offers Condolences to the Family and Friends of Jennifer Riordan

Buffalo, New York – April 25, 2018 – With the FAA Bill scheduled to head to the House floor today, members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ issued a call for renewed vigilance and emphasis on safety to the government and all stakeholders in the airline industry. The group highlighted the recent tragic passing of Jennifer Riordan on Southwest Flight 1380 as well as a 60 Minutes documentary on numerous safety issues with discount carrier Allegiant Air. (more…)

Unanimously-Passed 2010 Legislation Has Resulted in Safest Period in U.S. Commercial Aviation History by Far

Group Highlights the Emphatic Support of ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ Flight Crew

Buffalo, New York – April 17, 2018 – With the House of Representatives scheduled to consider a five-year FAA Reauthorization Bill on the floor next week, members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ issued a strong warning against any amendments that would serve to weaken the experience and qualification requirements for new-hire regional airline first officers. These enhanced standards were a key component to Public Law 111-216, the ‘Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010,’ which was unanimously passed by both Houses of Congress in response to a series of regional airline crashes in the previous decade. (more…)

Continue Push Against Watering Down of Experience Requirements for Regional Airlines

Buffalo, New York – February 13, 2018 – With Congress continuing to trudge through the FAA Reauthorization process and with increased pressure from the nation’s regional airlines on the Trump Administration to relax safety standards enacted in the wake of the 2009 regional airline crash outside of Buffalo, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ will be traveling to Washington on Thursday in conjunction with the 9th anniversary of the crash. (more…)

Buffalo, New York – February 12, 2018 – In commemoration of today being the 9th anniversary of the tragic regional airline crash that took the lives of their loved ones, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ issued the following statement:

3,287 days. 9 years. No more smiles. No more laughs. No more hugs. Missed holidays, family gatherings, vacations, weddings, and graduations. Lots of pictures and memories. Visits to the cemetery. And plenty of tears.

The crash of Continental Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, on that snowy Thursday night outside of Buffalo 9 years ago today left a gaping hole in our families, our communities, our nation, and the world. And it never should have been allowed to happen. (more…)

Buffalo, New York – January 3, 2018 – In response to news reports on Tuesday that there were no commercial aviation deaths globally in 2017, and President Trump’s subsequent declaration that he had been ‘very strict on Commercial Aviation’ in his first year in office, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ sent the following letter to the President, calling on him to stand firm against pressure from the nation’s regional airlines to weaken critical safety reforms implemented by FAA and DOT after being unanimously passed by Congress in 2010. These tougher safety requirements have resulted in nearly nine years of no fatal commercial aviation crashes on U.S. carriers, the longest such period in our history by over three times.

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Look Forward to Meeting with Chao to Make Case for Safety

Buffalo, New York – December 18, 2017 – Amid reports that Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune was going to abandon his controversial legislative initiative that would weaken a key regional airline safety measure and instead push for the Trump administration to unilaterally implement his proposal, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ blasted Thune for bypassing the legislative process. They highlighted the sterling safety record that has been achieved as a result of landmark aviation safety legislation unanimously passed by Congress back in 2010 in response to the crash of Flight 3407, and called on President Trump and his transportation policy-makers to resist Thune’s pressures and instead stand up for the safety of the American flying public. (more…)

Call on DOT and OMB to Complete Accompanying Rule Making

Buffalo, New York – December 8, 2017 – The ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ recognized a key milestone today, as the initial release of the Pilot Records Database, another major provision of the landmark 2010 ‘Airline Safety Act,’ was unveiled by the Federal Aviation Administration. The database addresses one of the major flaws in the hiring process at some regional airlines uncovered by the National Transportation Safety Board in the aftermath of the crash, where company officials had difficulties obtaining pilots’ full record for use in hiring decisions. (more…)

Huerta: ‘The System Is Safe and Better Off As a Result’

Buffalo, New York – December 7, 2017 – With the FAA Reauthorization Bill seemingly on hold in Washington with Congress facing a series of year-end deadlines and other issues, the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ warned safety advocates and members of the flying public to remain alert to attempts by the regional airlines to water down critical safety enhancements made in the aftermath of the crash under the guise of improving pilot training. The group underlined comments made by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta this fall spotlighting the safety benefit of the new requirements. (more…)