Safety Safety Safety

A commercial flight is still nearly the safest it has ever been, despite the latest spate of crashes. With 3 tragedies in such quick succession, many people will, understandably, be asking the questions about aviation safety.

There is still speculation about the first Malaysia missing jet but was this down to safety issues or something outside of human control?

If you ask any cabin crew member what is the most important aspect of their role, it has got to be ‘safety’. From the minute you start your flying career to the day you hang up your wings this is something that is constantly driven home to you and how ever little it may seem at the time you will be playing a big part in that cog, ensuring your flight departs safely is crucial to every successful airline.


Why are our Safety Emergency Procedure (SEP) Awareness days at Heathrow Airport and East Midlands Airport so important to the role of cabin crew?

Our SEP days give you an incredible unique insight into the world of aviation and the vital role safety plays in your day to day operation as cabin crew. From the moment you check in for your flight’s departure to chocks on at arrival you will be constantly vigilant to safety and security requirements throughout your working day/night.

At the pre-flight briefing you will be asked safety and relevant aircraft questions pertaining to your flight and destination e.g. if you are flying to a country of unrest this will be discussed with the relevant precautions in place. Once you board the aircraft before you even put the brewer on your first job is to check your working area for any suspicious packages, messages and confirm to your captain that all the safety equipment is in place and not tampered with in any way. This is also a CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) requirement…the police gods of the sky!

On our courses we show you what it is like to be on an aircraft simulator with all these safety procedures in place and what you would do in an emergency situation. You have the opportunity of delivering a full safety briefing in front of your colleagues, just like the real thing when you are on board a flight pre-departure.

This is then followed by a slide descent which would be exactly the same as a real life emergency evacuation using a real aircraft slide raft. You then jump on board a massive slide raft and are taught the principles of survival and erect the canopy. Later in the day you are given the opportunity to fight a real oven fire and walk through a smoke filled chamber with a smoke hood. Plus much more!

A fire on board an aircraft has got to be one of the scariest situations that as crew you will ever encounter and your cabin crew training will give you the confidence to fight a fire if in the unlikely event this ever happened to you. Smoke inhalation, if not using the appropriate breathing apparatus, can induce an unconscious state very quickly which will impede survival chances dramatically.

Every year as cabin crew you will be expected to go through a thorough refresher training course which last approximately 3 days, depending on the airline and the pass level is very high. From my flying experience it never gets any easier!

Happy SAFE flying.