Nervous flyers often envision having aircraft-related emergencies or accidents midair. And while midair incidents pose unique challenges, an aircraft can be quite vulnerable to accidents after it lands if correct protocols are not followed. Spirit Airlines was in a similar situation earlier this year, resulting in the injury of two cabin crew members.
Cabin not secure
On July 16, 2024, a Spirit Airlines
Airbus A320 was involved in an incident on the ground at Orlando International Airport (ORD) after completing a flight that originated at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
The flight was routine, and after making a successful landing, the A320 began its routine taxi procedure to reach its gate. As expected, everyone inside the aircraft was seated with their seatbelts fastened.
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However, the pilots were informed to hold short of the ramp area because another aircraft was on the alleyway that led to their assigned gate. The aircraft waited on that spot awaiting further instructions, and the pilots made several announcements, reminding passengers and crew members to be in their seats as the plane had still not reached the gate.
Sudden stop
The pilots eventually started moving the A320 again towards their gate, assuming that all was well in the cabin. However, when a flight attendant communicated with them that the cabin was not secured, the captain pushed the break to the point that the aircraft came to a sudden halt and injured two flight attendants.
The National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB
) did an investigation and released a final report that explains what happened when the aircraft was stopped briefly before it resumed its journey to the gate and why the cabin was not secure. It explains,
“At the time of the event, FA-A and FA-D were assisting a passenger who was vomiting profusely. When the aircraft came to an abrupt stop, FA-A sustained an injury to her wrist, while FA-D was thrown to the floor and hit her head. Upon being notified of the injury, the flight crew requested to have emergency medical technicians (EMT) meet the aircraft at the gate.
“FA-A and FA-D were transported to local hospitals where one was diagnosed with a minor wrist injury and the other a serious head injury.”
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In its concluding remarks, the NTSB determines the cause of the incident to be the “captain’s inadvertent aggressive application of the brakes during taxi which resulted in a sudden stop. Contributing to the accident was the flight attendants’ failure to notify the flight crew of the unsecure cabin.”
Plenty of rules for passenger safety
While navigating an aircraft across an airport can be routine, its success depends upon carefully following all procedures. Even in the air, following guidelines can often prevent a bad situation from getting worse.
The cockpit crew is the ultimate authority in determining when to turn on and off the seatbelt sign in the air and on the ground. A
pilot’s decision can be based on several factors
, including flying conditions and weather, and even company policies.
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Airlines can also tweak their rules based on recent incidents. For example, Singapore Airlines recently changed its policy and decided not to serve hot drinks or meals when the seatbelt sign is turned on. This was in response to the
midair turbulence-related incident
that left many passengers severely injured.
Related
Singapore Airlines Changes Seatbelt Policy Following Severe Turbulence Injuries
As a result, passengers will not be served hot drinks or meals when the seatbelt sign is on.