FAA, Santa Team Up for Holiday Safety

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration sent this bulletin at 12/21/2022 11:43 AM EST

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FAA, Santa Team Up for Holiday Safety

Play it Safe with Air Travel, Drones and Lasers

WASHINGTON – This holiday season, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Billy Nolen and Santa Claus teamed up to encourage everyone to Play it Safe when it comes to air travel, drones and lasers. 

“Safety is the magic word during this most magical time of the year,” said Acting Administrator Nolen and Santa. “We appreciate everyone who makes air travel safe, and they will definitely be on the nice list. Don’t let unsafe behavior land you on both Santa and the FAA’s naughty list.” 

Here are some tips to keep air travel safe this holiday season and throughout the year:

Family Travel: Flying is the safest way for families to travel. Review our tips to learn how to keep little ones under the age of two safe when you fly. New this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation is urging U.S. airlines to do everything in their power to ensure that children who are age 13 or younger are seated next to an accompanying adult with no additional charge. 

Lose the Laser: Aiming a laser at an aircraft on purpose is a serious safety hazard that puts everyone on the plane and on the ground below at risk. It is also a violation of federal law. All lasers, even holiday laser-light displays, aimed into the sky can temporarily blind pilots. Check out this video to learn more. 

PackSafe: Help make it safely to your destination by paying close attention to what’s in your bag. Learn what foods you can travel with and how to pack safely. When in doubt, leave it out!

Drone Safety: Many think of a drone as a toy, but it is really an aircraft. Check out this Tweet about three important steps all recreational drone flyers should complete before taking their first flight. Also visit our getting started webpage to better understand drone rules. Remember to obey all No Drone Zones like around aircraft and airports. 

Be a Good Passenger: Holiday travel can be challenging with crowded planes and possible delays, but always stay cool under pressure. While one unruly passenger is one too many, the rate of such incidents has fallen dramatically by 80 percent in 2022 compared to record-highs in early 2021. The FAA’s zero tolerance policy remains in effect.