Key Takeaways
- SIA suspends meal service when the seatbelt sign is on to enhance safety.
- Crew will secure loose items and advise passengers to fasten seatbelts during turbulence.
- New protocols reflect SIA’s commitment to continuously improving passenger and crew safety.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is implementing stricter in-flight safety protocols in response to a turbulence event that tragically resulted in one fatality on its SQ321 flight from London to Singapore earlier this week.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when the Airbus A350 encountered extreme and sudden turbulence over Myanmar, forcing it to divert to Bangkok. In addition to the one passenger death, the turbulence left over 20 people injured, some seriously.
In the aftermath, SIA says it is adopting a “more cautious approach” to managing turbulence risks. Effective immediately, the carrier has suspended all meal service whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated.
“In addition to the suspension of hot beverage service when the seatbelt sign is on, the meal service will also be suspended,” an SIA spokesperson told Channel News Asia on Thursday.
The policy change aims to prevent passengers and crew from being struck by falling food carts or items during unanticipated bumpy air. Prior procedures already required halting hot beverage delivery to minimize burns from spills.
Beyond the meal suspension, SIA says the crew will continue securing all loose items and equipment in the cabin during periods of poor weather that could produce turbulence. Flight attendants have also been instructed to more proactively advise passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts when experiencing rough air, including monitoring those in lavatories who may need assistance.
For their part, pilots and cabin crew “are aware of the hazards associated with turbulence” and “trained to assist customers and ensure cabin safety throughout the flight,” according to the airline.
Crew members themselves will also be required to be seated and restrained when the seatbelt sign is illuminated.
The new policies reflect SIA’s commitment “to continuously review and improve” safety processes, with the spokesperson emphasizing “the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance.”
Turbulence encounters like the one on SQ321 are relatively rare but can prove extremely dangerous, especially for those not wearing seatbelts. Most turbulence-related injuries are sustained by passengers moving about the cabin.
By restricting service and marshaling passengers to their seats when experiencing rough air, SIA aims to minimize the risks posed by significant turbulence events going forward.
