Due to safety reasons, your Southwest cabin service will end sooner
Your next Southwest Airlines flight may go a little differently.
Starting Wednesday, flight attendants will begin preparing cabins for landing at an altitude of 18,000 feet, instead of the current 10,000 feet.
That means in-flight cabin service will end about 10 minutes earlier than it does now. Seatsbacks will need to be raised and tray tables stowed earlier, as well.
“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,” Southwest said in a statement to Paste BN. “Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.
There have already been several incidents involving severe turbulence across airlines this year. Video shared on social media showed passengers screaming and bouncing in their seats on a turbulent Scandinavian Airlines flight earlier this month. Food and drinks were sent flying when an Air Canada flight hit turbulence in October. Four American Airlines flight attendants were hospitalized after a turbulent flight in August. A United Airlines passenger was hospitalized due to turbulence the same month. In May, one person died and 30 others were hurt by severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight. Korean Air adjusted its cabin service policies over turbulence concerns, over the summer.
Turbulence is expected to continue to increase with climate change.
“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, previously told Paste BN.
To reduce the risk of injury due to unexpected turbulence, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends passengers follow flight crew instructions and keep their seat belts buckled at all times.
“The FAA has a long history of working with operators to prevent turbulence injuries,” the FAA told Paste BN, referring travelers to their website for more details.
Contributing: Zach Wichter, Paste BN