Flight Safety Foundation Cabin Crew Safety 1999

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November–December 1999

Planning Prevents Conflict Between Cabin Service and Safety 8 pages. [PDF 56K]

Airlines must consider carefully the safety implications of operational changes or equipment changes in the aircraft cabin to improve passenger service. The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority believes that efforts to provide the best service sometimes conflict with safety objectives. Such conflicts can be resolved, in part, by the early inclusion of cabin-operations specialists and cabin-safety specialists in decision-making processes.

September–October 1999

Project Assesses Flight Attendants’ Abilities To Fight In-flight Fires in Cargo Compartments 6 pages. [PDF 61K]

Tests prompt calls for improved training, but those who organized the project also say that the quantity of extinguishing agents used on commuter airplanes is insufficient to extinguish some fires.

July–August 1999

In-flight Death of a Passenger Requires a Thoughtful Response from Flight Attendants 12 pages. [PDF 73K]

New studies of passenger deaths during flight will help airlines to update policies and procedures in light of data that are more accurate and current. The probability of the in-flight death of a passenger on any specific flight is low. Nevertheless, given the volume of passengers and changing demographics, a cabin crewmember could be called upon to respond appropriately if a death occurs.

May–June 1999

Flight Attendants Who Work Alone Need Specialized Training at Regional Airlines 12 pages. [PDF 82K]

Cabin-safety specialists in Australia and the United States have identified common issues that affect regional airline operations in which only one flight attendant works aboard an aircraft. Solo flight attendants have significant responsibilities in meeting passengers’ expectations for service and in performing all cabin-safety duties during relatively short flights. Crew resource management training and increased support from ground personnel have been recommended to increase operational safety.

March–April 1999

Uniform Materials Affect Flight Attendant Safety and Ability to Help Passengers Evacuate Burning Aircraft 8 pages. [PDF 57K]

No specific flammability standards exist in the United States for flight attendant uniforms. Clothing-safety specialists said that the best alternatives currently available are pure woolen outer garments treated for fire resistance and undergarments made of natural fibers.

January–February 1999

Vigilance in Aircraft Galley and Service Procedures Preserves Margin of Safety 8 pages. [PDF 70K]

Incidents reported by pilots and flight attendants show the need for caution in galley-related duties — particularly when stowing or operating food-and-beverage-service carts, and when smoke or unusual odors are emitted by warmers, ovens and coffee makers.