Passengers flying aboard
Southwest
Airlines may notice that their next flight seems to be coming to an end
sooner than anticipated. The airline has announced that, starting December 4,
cabin preparations for landing will begin at an altitude of 18,000 feet, as opposed
to the current standard of 10,000 feet.
This adjustment
means that attendants’ in-flight service will wrap up approximately 10 minutes
earlier than before, and passengers will need to bring their seatbacks into the
upright position, stow their tray tables and secure any carry-on items earlier
during descent.
In a statement given
to USA
Today, Southwest explained, “The change in procedures is designed to reduce
the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries for our Crew Members and Customers.
It is the result of the airline’s close collaboration with its Labor partners
and a robust approach to Safety Management.” The airline emphasized, “Nothing
is more important to Southwest Airlines than the Safety of our Customers and
Employees.”
The decision arrives
as we come towards the end of a year marked by several incidents involving
severe turbulence. Earlier this month, video footage later posted on social
media captured passengers on a Scandinavian
Airlines flight screaming and being jolted violently during a bout of
turbulence. In October, turbulence that struck an Air
Canada flight sent food and drinks flying around the cabin, while
turbulence aboard an American
Airlines flight in August resulted in the hospitalization of four flight
attendants and a passenger was hospitalized due to injuries caused by
turbulence aboard a United
Airlines flight the same month.
Even more
tragically, a Singapore
Airlines flight in May resulted in 30 injuries and one fatality following a
bout of severe turbulence. Such incidents prompted Korean
Air to adjust its in-flight protocols over the summer to address these
growing concerns.
Climate change is
the culprit for the increased instances of turbulence, which is expected to
continue to grow as the planet goes on warming. “The atmosphere is getting more
turbulent; there will be more severe turbulence in the atmosphere,” Paul
Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of
Reading, told USA Today back in May.
To minimize the
risk of injury brought on by unexpected turbulence, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) urges passengers to follow crew instructions diligently
and to keep their seat belts fastened at all times during the flight. “The FAA
has a long history of working with operators to prevent turbulence injuries,”
the agency stated, directing travelers to its website for further safety guidelines.
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