Flight Safety Foundation Cabin Crew Safety 2004

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November–December 2004

Crew Efforts Help Passengers Comprehend Safety Information 4 pages. [PDF 70K]

By optimizing communication methods and checking for expected behavior, flight attendants help ensure that passengers will know what to do during an aircraft emergency.

September–October 2004

Hidden Cabin Fires Require Fast, Aggressive and Improvised Responses 4 pages. [PDF 114K]

Updated recommendations by international authorities emphasize a mindset, priority-setting and methods that flight attendants require if confronted by signs of an in-flight fire — including invisible/inaccessible flames and smoke/odor from portable electronic devices.

July–August 2004

Specialists Study Evacuation Challenges of Very Large Transport Aircraft 4 pages. [PDF 81K]

European researchers found that passengers could evacuate quickly from either the upper deck or the main deck of a cabin simulator. Nevertheless, potential difficulties — such as redirecting hundreds of passengers to use stairways and managing crowds outside the aircraft — require further study.

May–June 2004

Attempts to Retrieve Carry-on Baggage Increase Risks During Evacuation 4 pages. [PDF 66K]

Predeparture safety information and forceful evacuation commands help cabin crews to persuade passengers not to take personal belongings. Flight attendants must have backup plans for coping with passengers who disregard the command to “leave everything.”

March–April 2004

When Circuit Breakers Trip, a Hands-off Policy Prevents Fires 4 pages. [PDF 76K]

More airlines prohibit flight attendants from manipulating circuit breakers — except with the captain’s prior approval or when authorized explicitly by a written procedure.

January–February 2004

Photoluminescent Escape-path Marking Alters Few Duties of Flight Attendants 4 pages. [PDF 84K]

Some airlines require the cabin crew to ensure correct charging with ceiling lights, a process that prepares tracks or strips bordering the aisles to emit a green glow during an emergency evacuation.