Reagan National Airport Opened To General Aviation, 30 Minute Sit-Down Rule Waived

Flying in and out of Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport will be a little bit easier for travelers who will no longer be required to sit in their seats for 30 minutes prior to take-off or landing at the airport.

The regulations were enacted after the September 11 terror attacks at The Pentagon and in New York, but travelers often complained of the rule which required they remain in their seats while in close proximity to the airport. The rule increased the time travelers spent in their seats during ascent or descent by two to three times compared to other airports in the country.

Testifying before the United States Senate Committee On Commerce, Science and Transportation, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, "This 30-minute seating rule was a sensible measure when first applied. Now, almost four years later, significantly enhanced layers of security ranging from hardened cockpit doors to air marshals make it reasonable to eliminate this requirement."

In announcing the change, Chertoff also said that the airport, closed to general aviation for nearly four years would reopen and allow private planes to land between national monuments on the Virginia and Washington D.C. side of the Potomac River at the region's smallest, but most strategically placed, airport

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 7:31 PM |