Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

Washington, DC, November 21, 2012 – As the holiday travel season kicks off with an estimated 24 million passengers traveling by air this year, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), the world’s largest Flight Attendant union, offered important tips on making air travel as safe as possible.

“As first responders in the aircraft cabin, a Flight Attendants primary responsibility is to protect the safety and security of our passengers. Through comprehensive training, extensive experience, and annual FAA re-certification standards, Flight Attendants are professionals who ensure passengers arrive at their destination safely and securely,” said AFA International President Veda Shook.

The Association of Flight Attendants issued the following guidelines for passengers and families to ensure onboard safety during the busy holiday travel season:

• Listen to the Flight Attendants. Pay attention to all crew instructions as well as the safety briefing.
• Buckle up. Passengers should keep seat belts fastened during the entire flight — even if the seat belt sign is off.
• Put children less than two years old in a certified child restraint seat. This is the safest way for children under two to fly. Aviation experts agree that it is unsafe for a child to be held in a parent’s lap in flight. The practice has led to injuries and deaths in turbulence and crashes.
• Follow instructions regarding Personal Electronic Devices. Not only can these devices cause distractions and prohibit passengers from hearing Flight Attendant instruction should an emergency occur during critical parts of flight, but they can also interfere with critical aircraft instruments.
• Limit carry-on bags. Thousands of injuries linked to carry-on baggage occur each year. Bring only your valuables on board, such as cameras, medication and jewelry. Check the rest of your luggage.

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 67 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions.  Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.