US Airlines Seek 18–24 Months to Prepare for Permanent Daylight Saving Time
The US House of Representatives has approved the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly clock changes across most of the country.
The legislation will now move to the Senate. It must also be signed by the president before it can take effect.
Airlines for America, which represents major US carriers, warned that the change would require extensive preparations across the aviation industry. The organisation has requested a transition period of at least 18 to 24 months before implementation.
Airlines would need time to revise flight schedules, reservation systems, crew planning and payroll systems. Coordination would also be required with international aviation authorities, while carriers may need to renegotiate slots at overseas airports.
The group warned that introducing the change without sufficient preparation could disrupt domestic and international connections, aircraft and crew scheduling, and passenger travel plans.
Under the proposed legislation, clocks in most parts of the United States would no longer return to standard time in November. The bill’s prospects in the Senate remain uncertain.
