1.15.26 – 17 Years Ago Today: US Airways Flight 1549, ‘Miracle on the Hudson’

Thursday, January 15, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Paul Hartshorn, Jr.
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‘Miracle on the Hudson’ Survivor Denise Lockie Joins APFA to Stand Against FAA-Authorized Minimum Flight Attendant Crew Cuts and Defend Airline Industry Safety Standards

“Profits don’t save passengers in an emergency – Flight Attendants do,” noted APFA President Julie Hedrick, a career Flight Attendant

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2026) — Today marks the 17th anniversary of US Airways flight 1549, known as the “Miracle on the Hudson’. Denise Lockie, a passenger and survivor of the flight, and a dedicated aviation safety advocate, is joining with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) in calling for airlines to staff a well-trained Flight Attendant at every dual-aisle widebody aircraft exit—just as those aircraft were originally certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

US Airways 1549 First Officer Jeffrey Skiles with passenger Denise Lockie

Lockie survived the January 15, 2009, emergency water landing in the icy waters of the Hudson River after her flight, US Airways 1549, lost both engines due to a bird strike shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Lockie credits Flight Attendants with playing a critical role in the survival of 155 souls on board during the emergency that day. Today, she is lending her voice and experience to APFA’s mission to ensure safer flying for everyone and to call attention to the potential dangers of airlines reducing the number of required Flight Attendants on board dual-aisle, widebody aircraft.

“Flight 1549 passenger Denise Lockie’s story is a powerful reminder that without adequate FAA-mandated minimum Flight Attendant staffing, the outcome could have been very different,” said Julie Hedrick, President of APFA and a career Flight Attendant. “In an emergency, profits don’t save passengers; Flight Attendants do.”

At issue, American, Delta, and United, with the approval of the FAA, have reduced the minimum number of required Flight Attendants on dual-aisle, widebody aircraft to cut costs, a move that safety advocates warn could put passengers at risk. APFA is fighting this change.

Previously, dual-aisle, widebody aircraft operating at these airlines were certified by the FAA with specific evacuation assumptions, including the presence of a trained Flight Attendant at each exit door and a mandate that all passengers be safely evacuated within 90 seconds.

As a crash survivor, Lockie brings a powerful personal perspective to the issue. She has become a respected safety advocate who consistently emphasizes the life-saving role of Flight Attendants as aviation’s first responders in the cabin.

“Flight Attendants were vital to our survival– they were diligent, they remained calm and they directed us to do exactly what we needed to do in a time of panic, trauma and fear,” Denise said. “Their presence and proper staffing is life or death, as far as I’m concerned.”

Lockie’s support for APFA’s efforts is highlighted in a video she recorded with the Union released on the 17th anniversary of the day she was safely evacuated from her downed plane on the Hudson River. The video underscores the shared message that aviation safety must never be compromised and that Flight Attendant minimum crew staffing decisions should be driven by safety, not profit.

The video detailing Lockie’s perspective and Flight Attendants’ stance on proper staffing is available for viewing here:

APFA represents over 28,000 professional Flight Attendants at American Airlines and advocates for policies that align real-world airline operations with the safety standards under which aircraft are certified. The Union has joined with elected representatives and passenger safety advocates to emphasize the importance of staffing aircraft the way the FAA had certified them to meet the mandate that all passengers must be able to exit the aircraft in 90 seconds in the event of an emergency.

“Denise’s voice reminds us why the fight against minimum Flight Attendant crew reduction matters,” Hedrick said. “Safer skies depend on respecting the critical safety role of Flight Attendants — on every flight, and at every exit.”

More information: apfa.org/FlightAttendantsSaveLives