49 U.S.C. § 44905 - Information about threats to civil aviation

• Cite as: 49 U.S.C. § 44905

(a) PROVIDING INFORMATION.-Under guidelines the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration prescribes, an air carrier, airport operator, ticket agent, or individual employed by an air carrier, airport operator, or ticket agent, receiving information (except a communication directed by the United States Government) about a threat to civil aviation shall provide the information promptly to the Administrator.

(b) FLIGHT CANCELLATION.-If a decision is made that a particular threat cannot be addressed in a way adequate to ensure, to the extent feasible, the safety of passengers and crew of a particular flight or series of flights, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall cancel the flight or series of flights.

(c) GUIDELINES ON PUBLIC NOTICE.-

(1) The President shall develop guidelines for ensuring that public notice is provided in appropriate cases about threats to civil aviation. The guidelines shall identify officials responsible for-

(A) deciding, on a case-by-case basis, if public notice of a threat is in the best interest of the United States and the traveling public;

(B) ensuring that public notice is provided in a timely and effective way, including the use of a toll-free telephone number; and

(C) canceling the departure of a flight or series of flights under subsection (b) of this section.

(2) The guidelines shall provide for consideration of-

(A) the specificity of the threat;

(B) the credibility of intelligence information related to the threat;

(C) the ability to counter the threat effectively;

(D) the protection of intelligence information sources and methods;

(E) cancellation, by an air carrier or the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, of a flight or series of flights instead of public notice;

(F) the ability of passengers and crew to take steps to reduce the risk to their safety after receiving public notice of a threat; and

(G) other factors the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration considers appropriate.

(d) GUIDELINES ON NOTICE TO CREWS.-The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall develop guidelines for ensuring that notice in appropriate cases of threats to the security of an air carrier flight is provided to the flight crew and cabin crew of that flight.

(e) LIMITATION ON NOTICE TO SELECTIVE TRAVELERS.-Notice of a threat to civil aviation may be provided to selective potential travelers only if the threat applies only to those travelers.