Flight Safety Foundation Cabin Crew Safety 2005

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January–February 2006

Users of Portable Oxygen Concentrators Accept Shared Responsibility for Safety 8 pages. [PDF 208K]

Some U.S. airlines now allow passengers to operate specific portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) during all phases of flight. POC users must be familiar with their operation, including visual/aural warnings of low battery power or malfunctions. The likelihood of an in-flight medical event or a need for evacuation assistance should not be greater for POC users than for other passengers.

November–December 2005

Survey Finds High Levels of Work-related Stress Among Flight Attendants 6 pages. [PDF 116K]

Of those surveyed at a major airline in Ireland, more than half of the flight attendants believed that there was an unsatisfactory ‘fit’ between their skills and their jobs, and three-quarters said that they typically felt conflict between their employer’s expectations and their own desires.

September–October 2005

Report Recommends New Efforts to Educate Airplane Passengers About Evacuations With Infants or Young Children 6 pages. [PDF 714K]

Information gathered during a two-part study by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is intended for use in the development of pre-evacuation passenger briefings and other passenger-education materials.

July–August 2005

Malfunctions, Procedural Errors Contribute to Entry-door Incidents 6 pages. [PDF 56K]

Failure to correct mechanical problems involving fuselage-door systems,inattention to jamming hazards and improper operation of doors in unusual circumstances have been cited in international reports. Anticipating these risk factors enables flight attendants to take appropriate action.

May–June 2005

Analysis of Evacuation-slide Problems Calls Attention to Recurrent Issues 6 pages. [PDF 84K]

Based on their study of accident/incident data and data from other sources, researchers found that the most significant slide problem was failure to inflate.

March–April 2005

Guidelines Enable Service Animals to Travel Safely at a Passenger’s Seat 6 pages. [PDF 105K]

Reviews of U.S. fatal-accident reports and safety studies found no examples of an evacuation that was impeded by a service animal accompanying a qualified passenger with a disability. Civil aviation authorities are updating requirements and guidance, however, as various types of service animals travel in the cabin.

January–February 2005

Generic Checklists Focus Response to In-flight Dangerous-goods Incidents 6 pages. [PDF 89K]

Public education and airline procedures reduce the likelihood of passengers carrying prohibited items that could cause harm by spilling, leaking, igniting a fire or releasing fumes in the cabin. Emergency-response guidance helps airlines to update training, procedures and tactics for flight attendants facing these situations.