WASHINGTON,Feb 4 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation

Administration said on Tuesday that the agency will continue to

attend meetings and engage with airlines on safety issues after

an employee told air carriers that officials would not

participate.

Airlines were notified on Tuesday by an FAA employee that

agency employees would not take part in safety-related committee

meetings, including on next-generation air traffic control

issues and secondary barriers, according to an email seen by

Reuters.

"This was an unauthorized communication sent by an

employee," an FAA spokesperson said late on Tuesday. "We will

make sure that commitment is clear to everyone in the agency."

Concerns over missing U.S. aviation expertise at key

technical meetings raised alarm among some industry executives

at a time when the country is reeling from its deadliest air

disaster in more than 20 years, which killed 67 people.

Two industry sources told Reuters earlier in the day that

FAA experts are not expected at some technical panels being held

by the U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

For example, it is unclear whether FAA officials will

participate in an aircraft noise and emissions meeting later

this month with ICAO's multinational Committee on Aviation

Environmental Protection (CAEP).

Planemakers and industry executives watch the CAEP group's

work, as it discusses potential standards for new aircraft.

An FAA official said there was no blanket prohibition on

attending any events but it is not clear if FAA employees would

attend specific ICAO events.

ICAO was not immediately available for comment.

Separately, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on

Tuesday called on the Homeland Security Department to reinstate

members of a nonpartisan Aviation Security Advisory Committee

that Trump disbanded.