Southwest Airlines has announced plans to end cabin service earlier on flights to avoid heightened risks of injury. This means passengers will have to prepare for the end of a flight earlier than previously dictated.
Current procedures by Southwest Airlines state that flight attendants will begin the landing preparations when the aircraft is at 10,000 feet, but that will change to 18,000 feet beginning on Wednesday, according to USA Today.
As a result, the end-of-flight process is expected to begin roughly 10 minutes earlier than before the change was implemented, including requirements for passengers to move seats and trays back into the pre-flight positions.
Southwest wrote in a statement that the changes are meant to improve the in-flight experience because “Nothing is more important to Southwest Airlines than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
“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 to USA Today.
Southwest Airlines is implementing these changes due to concerns about the increase in turbulence and its effects on passengers and flight attendants moving through the cabin at lower altitudes.
These concerns are valid because turbulence is expected to increase in the coming years. Recently released data provide insight into the potential issues.
The Federal Aviation Administration found 163 “serious turbulence injuries” from 2009 to 2022, but as The Dallas Express previously reported, that number is also expected to increase in coming years.
Association of Flight Attendants spokesperson Taylor Garland said in 2023 that heavy turbulence “will only continue to grow” due to weather conditions.
“That seatbelt sign comes on for a reason,” Garland added, reported DX. “You should not be up or going to the bathroom. That sign is on for your safety. … Some passengers may think, ‘Oh, I’ll be fine,’ but with turbulence, you can injure yourself and other people around you.”