By Travis Andersen Globe Staff,Updated March 8, 2023, 3:18 p.m.
Representative Stephen F. Lynch is seeking an “urgent review” of flight operations by the FAA after “troubling” recent safety incidents at Boston Logan International Airport.
Lynch, a South Boston Democrat, said in a statement Tuesday that he had requested the review and is also seeking an update on investigations into “recent events” at the airport.
He cited a close call on the evening of Feb. 27, when a Learjet preparing to take off came near a JetBlue plane landing on an intersecting runway, forcing the JetBlue pilot to take evasive action by having the plane climb upward to avoid a collision. A second incident occurred on Monday, when two planes clipped wings on the tarmac.
Lynch also cited an alarming incident on Sunday, when a Leominster man allegedly tried to open an emergency exit door during a flight from Los Angeles to Boston and attack a flight attendant with a broken spoon. The man was subdued on the plane and now faces federal charges.
“I am relieved that no one was hurt or injured in all three events, however the escalation of incidents and “close calls” at Logan airport is very troublesome,” Lynch said. “The FAA is responsible for flight operations and I have already requested a briefing with their officials to get an update on their investigations into how these events occurred and proposed solutions to ensure they do not continue. We must be vigilant and address these issues now to prevent more accidents from happening with potentially far worse outcomes.”
Lynch’s office said he was a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the last Congress when they convened a hearing on the surge of disruptive behavior on planes and its impact on safety, training, and enforcement of federal laws.
Since January 2021, the nation has seen “a drastic increase” in the number of unruly passenger incidents, many of which left flight attendants injured, according to Lynch’s office.
Lynch’s office said the FAA has issued a record amount of civil penalties against disruptive passengers, yet “air rage” continues to be a serious issue.
A requests for comment was sent Wednesday afternoon to the FAA.
Massport, the agency that runs Logan, thanked Lynch in a separate statement.
“We thank Congressman Lynch for his leadership on this important issue,” Massport said. “Safety and security are top priorities for Massport and the entire Logan Airport community. We look forward to participating in the FAA safety summit later this month.”
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