Congress also has restrictions, which give the green light to: conducting surprise checks at foreign repair shops, minimum qualifications and background checks for mechanics who work on US-registered aircraft

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a final rule on Monday that requires aircraft maintenance facilities abroad to conduct drug and alcohol tests on repairers-maintenance workers, thus ensuring that American companies that choose to outsource service abroad cannot circumvent the relevant safety regulations in force in the United States.

“This fills a major safety gap that the Transport Workers Union (TWU) has fought to address for decades", said John Samuelsen, president of the international TWU. And because the cost of drug and alcohol testing will discourage airlines from outsourcing maintenance and repair work overseas, the new rule will give airlines even more reason to outsource the work to qualified mechanics in America, the union president said.

The new rule will be published in the Federal Register today, Wednesday, December 18, 2024, and will take effect next month. Foreign maintenance and repair shops will have to comply with the new rule by December 20, 2027.

"Over the past several years, US carriers have helped eliminate thousands of aircraft maintenance jobs and moved those jobs to overseas repair centers. This rule will change that trend, while making flying even safer for travelers in the future", said Andre Sutton, director of TWU's aviation division.

The final rule comes months after Congress approved the rule, which also authorized the FAA to conduct at least one unannounced safety inspection per year of foreign aircraft maintenance and repair contractors, to require minimum qualifications for foreign mechanics working on US-registered aircraft, and to conduct background checks on mechanics performing safety-sensitive work. The new standards established by Congress are in addition to the final rule on drug and alcohol testing, and will be implemented by the FAA.

“This final rule is a huge victory, and we must now ensure that the FAA enforces Congress’s new law, which will further ensure that foreign aircraft maintenance facilities and their workers are held to the same standards as American workers", Samuelsen said.

The rule could affect approximately 977 aircraft repair facilities in 65 countries.