FAA mandates $35K cockpit barrier for new planes to enhance security.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that new commercial planes made after mid-2025 will be required to have a secondary barrier to make it harder for passengers to break into the cockpit when the main door is open. The rule will apply to airlines that operate scheduled flights, but not charter operators. The FAA estimated that each secondary barrier will cost $35,000 to buy and install. Pilot unions asked the FAA to extend the requirement for secondary barriers to all airline planes, including older ones. However, the FAA said Congress was clear that the requirement should apply to all new planes.