The sheer number of hours spent moving about an aircraft cabin leaves flight attendants more vulnerable than passengers to the risk of injury from a severe turbulence encounter. Several presenters explored this safety disparity during the International Aircraft Cabin Safety Symposium (CSS) conducted by the Southern California Safety Institute in February 2009 in Torrance, California, U.S.
In February 2008, serious injuries to two flight attendants aboard a Boeing 737-600 prompted Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) Norway to institute several changes, said Anne Lea Wittrup-Thomsen, an air purser, cabin safety coordinator and cabin investigator assigned to assist the Accident Investigation Board Norway for this accident.
“About 10 minutes to landing at Trondheim, Norway, the ‘FASTEN SEAT BELT’ sign had been switched on at 12,000 ft and the aircraft was crossing over a lake at approximately 7,000 ft,” Wittrup-Thomsen said. “The two aft cabin crewmembers were making final prepa…
