Southwest Airlines will alter landing procedures from December 2024, in an effort to reduce injuries sustained by cabin crew members during turbulence, according to an internal memo.
According to the internal report, first reported by View From The Wing, from December 4, 2024, cabin crew members will be required to secure the cabin 8,000 feet earlier than normal.
“At 18,000 feet, the Pilots will make one high-low chime, indicating the start of sterile flight deck. This chime serves as your cue to secure the cabin for landing and to be seated and secured in your jump seats,” the internal memo said.
Currently, Southwest cabin crew staff are required to secure the plane and buckle up at 10,000 feet during landing.
Southwest said that the changes are a result of the airlines “unwavering commitment to safety and well-being of our flight attendants”.
According to Southwest, the decision to alter landing procedures reflects “years of research” and staff reporting incidents through the carrier’s Safety Management System (SMS).
“The evaluation of thousands of data points from Flight Attendant and Pilot reports paired with information from the Flight Data Analysis Program (FDAP), confirmed that seating our Flight Attendants earlier should reduce Flight Attendant injuries by at least 20%,” the internal memo added.
Finally, Southwest said that if the change does not address the issue, then it will look to find alternative solutions.
There have been several high-profile incidents this year where sudden episodes of turbulence have resulted in multiple injuries and even a death.
Five Lufthansa passengers and six crew members were injured after encountering “brief but severe turbulence” during a flight between Buenos Aires in Argentina and Frankfurt in Germany in November 2024.
In August 2024, an EVA Air flight to Taiwan was hit by severe turbulence during meal service, leaving six crew members with minor injuries.
And in May 2024, a passenger died, and more than 30 others were injured after a Singapore Airlines plane hit severe turbulence on a flight between London and Singapore.
Since July 1, 2024, Korean Air has wrapped up its in-flight services 40 minutes prior to landing on all medium to long-haul flights, 20 minutes earlier than the previous service policy.
The airline said that the time change will allow in-flight services to end before the aircraft begins its descent to land, thereby minimizing the risk of turbulence to passengers and crew members.