That the FAA sets the basic minimum safety standards is a fact. That there are achievable levels of safety above the basic minimum standard is opinion, but not a particularly controversial one. Take crew duty and rest requirements as an example. Airlines with strongly unionized pilot groups tend to have duty and rest requirements negotiated between the union and management that are more generous to flight crews than the FAA mandated standard. Airlines with weaker union representation or no union representation at all, tend to adopt the FAA minimum standard.