Starting December 4, Southwest Airlines is making a small yet noticeable adjustment to its inflight experience. Cabin preparations for landing will start at 18,000 feet instead of the prior 10,000 feet. That’ll correlate with a 10-minute sooner request to raise tray tables, lock seat backs, and store carry-on luggage. The airline made the change for safety reasons.
Southwest’s reasons for the new policy
Southwest told USA Today, “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 added, “Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
The new policy arrives after a year of turbulence-related incidents. In November, a video posted to social media showed passengers on a Scandinavian Airlines flight jolted around the cabin. In an October incident, an Air Canada flight experienced food and drink being thrown about. An American Airlines trip sent four flight attendants to the hospital in August. The same month, a United Airlines passenger had to be hospitalized after a turbulent flight.
Incidences of turbulence are expected to increase with climate change. Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, told USA Today, “The atmosphere is getting more turbulent; there will be more severe turbulence in the atmosphere.”
The FAA has a list of guidelines for preventing turbulence-related injuries, including keeping seatbelts buckled at all times, adhering to carry-on restrictions, and always listening to pilots and flight attendants.
