Kean Sends Letter to Sec. Buttigieg & FAA with Questions on Passenger Safety Following Chinese Spy Balloon Incident

Contact: Dan Scharfenberger

(February 7, 2023) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ) sent a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Acting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Billy Nolan requesting answers on the FAA’s issuance of a ground stop due to Chinese surveillance activity last week. On Saturday, after the balloon had entered U.S. airspace and made its way from Montana to the Carolinas, a ground stop was issued for three major airports in North and South Carolina, and airspace was closed for hours before the spy balloon was shot down by a U.S. fighter jet. Rep. Kean is on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is a member of the Aviation Subcommittee. 

“I understand the ground stop issuance was in support of a Department of Defense (DOD) national security effort in response to the breach of U.S. airspace. Over the past several years, Chinese surveillance activity of this nature has been observed, while the path of the surveillance devices have carried over a number of sensitive national security sites. Make no mistake, the first priority of the U.S. should be to protect against all foreign threats, and that includes stopping foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information. Nevertheless, when faced with these challenges, the FAA should have proper protocol in place to reduce the impact on commercial aviation and passengers,” Rep. Kean wrote.

“Accordingly, I request a written response detailing the specifics of the FAA’s ground stop issuance of the above listed airports on February 4, 2023, the protocols in place related to commercial aviation when U.S. airspace has been breached by a foreign entity, as well as a proposed course of action if this type of security breach were to occur again. Please provide written responses to the following questions:

1. Is there proper protocol in place for U.S. airports when foreign surveillance equipment is in close proximity?
2. If so, what is the proper protocol and was it effectively communicated with ILM, MYR, and CHS?
3. What was the proximity of the surveillance balloon to the three airports’ airspace when the ground stop was ordered? Was there a risk to passenger safety? 
4. After the ground stop issuance and subsequent lift, did the FAA perform a safety assessment to determine the potential safety implications? 
5. What was the scope of impact? How many commercial flights and passengers were directly impacted by delays and canceled flights and how many flights and passengers were delayed by indirect issues relating to ripple effects? Additionally, please provide an estimated cost to commercial airlines and passengers due to the delays resulting from the issuance. 
6. Is there a plan to update the proper protocol for U.S. airports when foreign surveillance equipment breaches U.S. airspace in close proximity to an airport?”

You can read the full text of the letter HERE 

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