View all text of Subchapter I [§ 44901 - § 44929]
§ 44918. Crew training
(a)Basic Security Training.—
(1)In general.—Each air carrier providing scheduled passenger air transportation shall carry out a training program for flight and cabin crew members to prepare the crew members for potential threat conditions and unruly passenger behavior.
(2)Program elements.—An air carrier training program under this subsection shall include, at a minimum, elements that address each of the following:
(A) Recognize suspicious behavior and activities and determine the seriousness of any occurrence of such behavior and activities.
(B) Crew communication and coordination.
(C) The proper commands to give passengers and attackers.
(D) Appropriate responses to defend oneself.
(E) Use of protective devices assigned to crew members (to the extent such devices are required by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration).
(F) Psychology of terrorists to cope with hijacker behavior and passenger responses.
(G) Situational training exercises regarding various threat conditions.
(H) De-escalation training based on recommendations issued by the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
(I) Methods to subdue and restrain an active attacker.
(J) The proper conduct of a cabin search, including explosive device recognition.
(K) Any other subject matter considered appropriate by the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
(3)Approval.—An air carrier training program under this subsection shall be subject to approval by the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
(4)Minimum standards.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Federal Air Marshal Service and the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, shall establish minimum standards for—
(A) the training provided under this subsection and any for recurrent training; and
(B) the individuals or entities providing such training.
(5)Existing programs.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (3) and (4), any training program of an air carrier to prepare flight and cabin crew members for potential threat conditions that was approved by the Administrator or the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration before December 12, 2003, may continue in effect until disapproved or ordered modified by the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
(6)Monitoring.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator and the Federal Air Marshal Service, shall monitor air carrier training programs under this subsection and shall periodically review an air carrier’s training program to ensure that the program is adequately preparing crew members for potential threat conditions based on changes in the potential or actual threat conditions. In determining when an air carrier’s training program should be reviewed under this paragraph, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall consider complaints from crew members. The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall ensure that employees responsible for monitoring the training programs have the necessary resources and knowledge, including self-defense training expertise and experience.
(7)Updates.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator, shall order air carriers to modify training programs under this subsection to reflect new or different security threats.
(b)Advanced Self-Defense Training.—
(1)In general.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall develop and provide a voluntary training program for flight and cabin crew members of air carriers providing scheduled passenger air transportation.
(2)Program elements.—The training program under this subsection shall include both classroom and effective hands-on training in the following elements of self-defense:
(A) Deterring a passenger who might present a threat.
(B) Advanced control, striking, and restraint techniques.
(C) Training to defend oneself against edged or contact weapons.
(D) Methods to subdue and restrain an attacker.
(E) Use of available items aboard the aircraft for self-defense.
(F) Appropriate and effective responses to defend oneself, including the use of force against an attacker.
(G) Any other element of training that the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration considers appropriate.
(3)Participation not required.—A crew member shall not be required to participate in the training program under this subsection.
(4)Compensation.—Except as provided in paragraph (8), neither the Federal Government nor an air carrier shall be required to compensate a crew member for participating in the training program under this subsection.
(5)Fees.—A crew member shall not be required to pay a fee for the training program under this subsection.
(6)Consultation.—In developing the training program under this subsection, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall consult with law enforcement personnel and security experts who have expertise in self-defense training, terrorism experts, representatives of air carriers, the director of self-defense training in the Federal Air Marshal Service, flight attendants, labor organizations representing flight attendants, and educational institutions offering law enforcement training programs.
(7)Designation of tsa official.—The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall designate an official in the Transportation Security Administration to be responsible for implementing the training program under this subsection. The official shall consult with air carriers and labor organizations representing crew members before implementing the program to ensure that it is appropriate for situations that may arise on board an aircraft during a flight.
(8)Air carrier accommodation.—An air carrier with a crew member participating in the training program under this subsection shall provide a process through which each such crew member may obtain reasonable accommodations.
(c)Limitation.—Actions by crew members under this section shall be subject to the provisions of section 44903(k).
(Added Pub. L. 107–71, title I, § 107(a), Nov. 19, 2001, 115 Stat. 610; amended Pub. L. 107–296, title XIV, § 1403(a), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2305; Pub. L. 108–176, title VI, § 603, Dec. 12, 2003, 117 Stat. 2563; Pub. L. 115–254, div. K, title I, § 1991(d)(16), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3635; Pub. L. 118–63, title IV, § 427, May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1169.)