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Especially during turbulence, I notice that passengers are warned to sit and fasten seatbelts, but flight attendants continue to serve only cold beverages (since the overflow, slosh, spill of hot beverages would be dangerous), stand, walk, and work. Why? It appears unfair for flight attendants to suffer any more risk and danger, even if the turbulence is minor, than passengers.

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    I don't know if this is related, but because they are trained to handle that, it makes me think if they get hurt, they're less likely to sue. The air line would make more money if they're working, and it's probably still profitable for them even if they get hurt a little once in a while. – corsiKa Dec 31 '14 at 19:17
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    Because they're thrill junkies, and sometimes dealing with obstreperous, annoying, loud, and rude passengers just isn't a big enough adrenaline rush. :-) – Bob Jarvis - Слава Україні Jan 01 '15 at 04:01

4 Answers4

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I worked as a flight attendant for several years and I am still employed within the industry but in a different capacity, so I know a thing or two about this topic.

Flight Attendants (FAs) are strictly required to be seated during take-off and landings only and usually not during descent or climb, unlike passengers who are usually required to be seated and buckled. Then it depends on the local rules for how long they are supposed to stay there. In some airlines, the FAs must sit as long as the seatbelt sign is lit, while in others they can move about once the gears are up (you can hear this easily, as they make a loud sound when they are retracted). Other airlines might state FAs can move once the plane reaches a certain altitude and/or are given some sort of sign from the cockpit.

There is not one type of turbulence, but various classifications. Some of them are just light (small bounciness) and some are dangerous and can injure (or kill) people who are not seated and buckled. It is usually cabin crew who are the victims (I have personally been through this kind of turbulence).

Usually, pilots will, during the pre-flight briefing, brief the cabin crew of any expected turbulence and will usually say something like: "seatbelts are for everybody" or "seatbelts are for passengers". If things during the flight end up different from the forecast that was given to the pilots prior to the flight, the pilots will call the cabin crew and inform them. They will tell the cabin crew whether to continue the service because it is a light turbulence, they may suggest only to serve cold beverages, or tell the FAs to sit tight and secure everything if approaching severe turbulence.

This is basically the "secret" behind it. There is no magical training given to cabin crew on how to defeat the laws of physics and stand balanced while in turbulence; it is just the word from the pilots as they are the most knowledgeable about the weather conditions. The crew are only trained on types of turbulence and on how to secure the cabin and service carts quickly in case of sudden severe turbulence that was not detected in advance. In that case, they are told to hang on to anything and secure themselves.

Passengers, on the other hand, are required to be seated and buckled during all phases of the flight except cruise and when there is no turbulence. This is simply due to liability and not to add more complication in these critical times.

Nean Der Thal
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Flight attendants are quite used to minor turbulence. The average passenger is not, and could easily end up somewhere uncomfortable. Turbulence also has the habit of getting worse without too much warning.

FAs do buckle up once the turbulence reaches a certain level. I once departed Hong Kong during a typhoon - the FA sitting across from me said the crew was told to stay seated for 20 minutes after takeoff, and she'd never heard that instruction before.

paul
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    But "getting worse without too much warning" seems to imply that the FAs are in danger - and just in case we might end up with the whole FA team knocked-out and no-one there to un-panick the crowd ... – Hagen von Eitzen Dec 31 '14 at 15:14
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    @HagenvonEitzen But the probability of that is extremely low and, unlike most of the passengers, the FAs are trained to deal with it. I don't recall ever hearing of a case of the entire cabin crew being knocked unconscious by turbulence. Actually, I don't remember hearing of a case of any of the cabin crew being knocked unconscious by turbulence. – reirab Dec 31 '14 at 15:31
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    @reirab Googling suggests that it happens from time to time: this Daily Mail article claims one steward was knocked unconscious and another badly injured their hip on an EasyJet flight in September 2014, though the Independent's version of the same story doesn't mention unconsciousness. – David Richerby Dec 31 '14 at 18:24
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    This ABC News article also mentions a member of cabin crew being knocked unconscious. – David Richerby Dec 31 '14 at 18:25
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    @reirab Unlikely it would happen, but supposing the FAs are trained to deal with the entire cabin crew being knocked unconscious by turbulence, I can only imagine what they are supposed to do. "Do not attempt to move yourself or to calm panicked passengers until you regain consciousness..." – Michael Dec 31 '14 at 19:46
  • @Michael haha - I meant that they're trained to deal with severe turbulence, so that they generally don't get knocked unconscious, not that they're trained to deal with the scenario that all of them get knocked unconscious simultaneously. – reirab Dec 31 '14 at 19:47
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    Notice I said "getting worse without too much warning - it's rarely instant. The cabin crews will recognize an unusual uptick in turbulence and can get themselves stowed very quickly (even faster if the bumps are accompanied by a few pings from the flight deck). 50 passengers milling about cannot. – paul Jan 01 '15 at 02:44
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    @reirab - What training? I'm an FA and there is no training for how to deal with turbulence. Official training says to obey the seat belt sign. You simply sit down and buckle up. that's all you can do and all you should do. The seat belt sign is actually for everybody, FAs included. If FAs are still standing, they are going against training, not because of it. – Steve H Jan 01 '15 at 13:52
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    The passengers being required to be seated during minor turbulence also allows the flight attendants to quickly stow anything they are doing and return to their own seat if the turbulence rises quickly as the walkway should be clear from other passengers. – Lie Ryan Jan 01 '15 at 18:42
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    @SteveH my sympathies - your training sucks. But you do recognize the difference between "washboard road" and "angry weather god" levels of turbulence. – paul Jan 02 '15 at 00:39
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    @SteveH: What country are you in? I have heard this is different in different places. In the US it is normal for FAs to stand while the seat belt sign is on, and instructions for them to sit seem to be communicated privately from the pilots. (The seat belt sign seems to be used in the US if there is any chance of even the slightest turbulence.) But I understand in other places, the seat belt sign applies to the FAs also (and as a result, the sign is used only when nontrivial turbulence is expected). It's also possible that SOP varies between airlines. – Nate Eldredge Jan 02 '15 at 02:57
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    @SteveH That's interesting. Can you post an answer that elaborates on this? In particular, as Nate mentioned, it would be interesting to know where (or, if you don't mind telling, which airline) this applies to? Within the U.S., the FAs almost never seem to be seated just because of the seat belt sign. When more severe turbulence is expected, one of the pilots will usually announce something to the effect of the cabin crew needing to take their seats. I also seem to recall this on Southeast Asian airlines, such as Cathay and Korean Air. – reirab Jan 02 '15 at 04:01
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    The flight attendants are also supposed to police the passengers, and it's hard to do that when you can't see most of the cabin. – Spehro Pefhany Jan 02 '15 at 15:16
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It's about risk management. In minor turbulence, probably nothing bad will happen so it's OK to have a few people walking around but, in the unlikely event of a big bump, you don't want to have 300 passengers thrown around the plane. If the turbulence is bad enough, even the flight attendants sit down and put their seatbelts on.

David Richerby
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In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs,) specifically 14 CFR 121.317, only require that passengers be seated when the seat belt sign is on, not the crew.

(f) Each passenger required by § 121.311(b) to occupy a seat or berth shall fasten his or her safety belt about him or her and keep it fastened while the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign is lighted.

This is primarily for the reasons mentioned in paul and David Richerby's answers, namely, that the cabin crew is trained and experienced in walking through the cabin in light to moderate turbulence and that have 3 or 4 unsecured people is much less of a risk than 150 unsecured people. The very slight risk of a cabin crew member being injured during light to moderate turbulence is not seen to outweigh the benefit of cabin crew being able to continue performing their duties. As paul and David mentioned, the flight crew will still advise the cabin crew to be seated during take-off, landing, and more severe turbulence. For instance, in my experience at least, it seems that the cabin crew is usually advised to take their seats as the aircraft is entering or crossing a jet stream or operating near thunderstorms.

reirab
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    It is also a liability concern. If they tell the passengers to buckle up and someone gets hurt, they most likely will not be held liable. So if there is any indication that there may be a problem, the safe thing to do is to turn on the fasten seat belt sign. In many cases, they are just being overly conservative, and the cabin attendants who are properly trained can still move around safely. – Lnafziger Dec 31 '14 at 21:34