Flight Emergency Stops Congressmen from Voting on Aviation Safety

By Anastacia Mott Austin

You can’t make up stuff better than this.

A Continental flight carrying seven congressmen back to Washington D.C. was forced to make an emergency landing in New Orleans this week after the cabin lost air pressure.

Flight 458 from Houston to D.C. lost cabin pressure and needed to make a steep descent to an altitude where oxygen masks were not needed, said a spokesperson for the airline.

The irony? All seven congressmen were trying to make it back to Washington in time to vote on an aviation safety bill.

The flight was given priority to land in New Orleans, and spokespeople for the various congressmen said that the crisis was handled well by airline staff, and there was no panic aboard the plane.

The representatives on board were Dr. Ron Paul (former Republican presidential candidate), Nick Lampson, Ted Poe, John Carter, Solomon Ortiz, Ciro Rodriguez, and Henry Cuellar. All seven are congressmen from Texas.

Nick Lampson issued a statement to the press, reading in part, "Continental Airline's personnel and staff were exceptional; executing what seemed to me a textbook performance in emergency procedure. I was very impressed."

Oxygen masks descended into the cabin and passengers were able to use them until the cabin pressure stabilized.

Added Jesse Benton, Paul’s spokesman for Campaign for Liberty, "There’s no cause for alarm." Benton’s statement hopefully calmed those Paul supporters who feared a conspiracy to bring down their hero.

The loss of cabin pressure is an increasing issue for major airlines, especially this week. The diversion of flight 458 was the third this week caused by cabin pressure problems. US Airways and Northwest both had flights diverted to airports in Kentucky and Wisconsin after they lost cabin pressure.

Unfortunately, all seven representatives missed the vote on the Aviation Safety Enhancement Act. The Act included language that would limit airlines hiring former FAA inspectors who inspected that airline during his or her FAA employment.

It turns out they weren’t needed. The bill passed 391-0.