# The AIR PUMP Act: What It Does

The AIR PUMP Act requires airlines to give their flight crew members—pilots, flight attendants, and other crew working on planes—reasonable breaks to express breast milk for up to one year after their child is born. The bill also requires airlines to provide a private space on the aircraft where crew members can pump, somewhere that isn't a bathroom and where they won't be seen or interrupted by coworkers or passengers.

This is a significant change because flight crew currently have very limited options for pumping while working. Unlike many other jobs where employees can step away to a private room, flight crew are stuck on an aircraft for hours at a time with few accommodations. The bill recognizes that nursing mothers shouldn't have to choose between their job and feeding their babies. However, the law includes important safety exceptions—airlines don't have to provide breaks during critical phases of flight like takeoff, landing, or other dangerous moments when crew members need to be fully focused on their duties.

Airlines also don't have to make expensive changes to comply. Installing a simple curtain or screen for privacy doesn't count as a significant expense, but the airline can't be forced to hire extra crew members just to cover someone's pumping break or make major aircraft modifications. The law gives the Federal Aviation Administration three years to write detailed rules about how this will work in practice for all crew members on aircraft.

If an airline violates these rules or punishes an employee for asking for pumping breaks, the employee can file a complaint with the Department of Labor or take the airline to court. The penalties are the same as other labor law violations, which can include back pay and fines. The law takes effect 180 days after it's signed into law.