Why can’t local police investigate my airport injury ?
According to air travel attorney Doug Landau, this local Wincheter Poiice car wold not be allowed on the Dulles Airport Air Operations Area (IAD AOA) to investigate an accidental injury case
Local police cannot investigate airport injury cases that take place in “sterile areas” or the AOA because of Federal rules and regulations. Dulles area airport injury lawyer Doug Landau explains what these terms mean and why they are important to air travel accident cases.
What is a “sterile area” at an airport ? Is it really clean ? Does it have an autoclave ? No, it is simply the area from the security checkpoints back to the gates, jets, tarmac and midfield terminals. It is the part of the airport AFTER you get in line to be checked by TSA Personnel. Local police are normally not allowed to investigate accidents, crimes or other incidents in this special area. The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) controls this portion of American International airports.
The “Airport Operations Area” or “AOA” is another place the local police normally cannot go. The AOA is that portion of an airport used for the landing, takeoff, ground-maneuvering and parking of an aircraft. So if a passenger is injured in a midfield terminal bus accident, struck by a luggage tug or slips and falls boarding or de-planing, the local law enforcement officers are usually not going to be able to investigate. Another reason local law enforcement many not b able to simply drive onto the airport property is the generally accepted rule that vehicles operating in the Airport Operations Area (AOA) must be expressly authorized to do so by airport management.
So, after an injury in the “sterile area” or the “Air Operations Area” of an airport, do not expect the local city, county or state police to assist or investigate. For this reason, it is important to get a lawyer experienced in handling air travel accident cases and taking airport injury cases to court. If you or someone you know or care for has been injured as the result of an accident at an airport or due to an airline’s unsafe decisions, and there are questions about what laws apply, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once.