The US Senator Ted Cruz urged Donald Trump to back a proposal affecting pilot retirement rule ahead of a United Nations aviation meeting in Montreal.
The proposal, pushed by an international airline trade group, aims to raise the mandatory retirement age for pilots to 67.
However, a pilot's association has opposed the change and warned it could increase risk in air travel.
As per Reuters, Cruz wrote a letter to US president asking him to support the pilot retirement age proposal.
“America should lead on the international stage in support of raising, or even abolishing, the pilot retirement age,” said Cruz.
He added current policy is “forcing thousands of highly qualified and experienced pilots into early retirement every year."
In 2024, Congress refused to increase the age limit for airline pilots from 65 to 67 because some lawmakers agreed with the Federal Aviation Administration's stance that more a proper research and safety review were necessary before making such changes.
International aviation regulations do not allow pilots over the age of 65 to operate international flights and countries like US enforce this same age limit even for domestic flights.
Meanwhile, the White House has not given any official response to this matter.
On the other hand, the UN's aviation regulator, ICAO will discuss a proposal from an airline trade group during its major meeting staring Tuesday, September 22, which is held once every three years.
