FLIGHT S A F ETY FOUNDATION

CABIN CREW SAFETY

Vol. 38 No. 1 For Everyone Concerned With the Safety of Flight January–February 2003

Able-bodied Passengers Extend Crew Capabilities

During In-flight Emergencies
Flight attendants typically have been trained in using
able-bodied passengers in emergency evacuations of aircraft.
Passengers also have helped in subduing disruptive passengers and terrorists.

FSF Editorial Staff

Flight attendants typically identify able-bodied In the United States, flight attendants for virtually all
passengers (ABPs) early in a flight to be able to request air carriers and some other operators have procedures
their assistance during some in-flight emergencies — in place for the use of ABPs, said Nancy Claussen, a
especially emergency evacuations. The tasks that can U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cabin
be assigned to ABPs (also called able-bodied persons, safety inspector in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.4
able-bodied assistants or passenger assistants) vary
according to a number of factors, including the type “In an emergency, you’re going to solicit able-bodied
of emergency and the extent to which flight attendants passengers,” Claussen said. “It widens the scope way
may need assistance to perform their duties. beyond those sitting in exit seats.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) “If you have time, ABPs are usually identified
defines able-bodied passengers as “passengers according to a hierarchy. First come people who work
selected by crewmembers to assist in managing for your airline, then people from other air carriers
emergency situations if and as required.”1 [passengers traveling on non-revenue status are usually
indicated on the passenger manifest], people with background
The Global Aviation Information Network (GAIN), an and training as first-responders, and military personnel.”
international, cooperative program of data sharing and analysis,
says that the best choices of passengers to function as ABPs Medical personnel also are among those who often are
typically are off-duty crewmembers from any air carrier, requested to function as ABPs.
military personnel, police officers, fire fighters, emergency
medical personnel, physicians and nurses.2 Nevertheless, In some situations, conversations with passengers during the
during situations in which cabin crewmembers have little time flight have enabled crewmembers to determine which
or no time to plan their response to an emergency, the passengers would be most helpful. At other times, cabin crews
passengers closest to a cabin crewmember may be those chosen of some airlines use announcements over the passenger address
as ABPs. (PA) system to request passengers to volunteer as ABPs, said
Luis Claudio Ciepielewski, a flight attendant and member of
Civil aviation authorities and airlines have similar guidelines the Flight Safety Department at TAM Brazilian Airlines.5
for selecting ABPs.
In some emergencies, there is not sufficient time to determine
In Australia, “the operators usually see the wisdom in training a passenger’s background, said Nanette TerBush, American
their cabin crew to [identify] the most likely passengers to be Airlines manager of regulatory compliance, flight service
ABPs,” said Susan Rice, a cabin safety inspector for the Civil operations. Under those circumstances, “you generally just
Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA).3 look at the person and decide if they could help,” she said.6
 ICAO says, in its Training Manual: Cabin Attendants’ Safety For example, America West’s briefing technique requires that
Training, that cabin crewmembers’ training should emphasize cabin crewmembers “establish and maintain eye contact; remain
the “importance of selection and briefing of [ABPs] assigned to calm; speak clearly and act confidently; use hand signals (to
care for special-needs passengers, to hold passengers back until point out exits, exit operations, etc.); annunciate all instructions;
exits can be assessed and opened, to first go down the slide shout above cabin noise as necessary; and give specific
(with a cabin attendant) and to stay at the bottom of the slide information, while avoiding the use of airline terminology.”
and assist other passengers, as well as to hold the slide steady in
case it is buffeted by the wind.”7 These actions are important to ensure that the ABPs are
attentive, to “instill more confidence in the passengers and
Rice said that typically, the tasks assigned to ABPs include avoid panic” and to limit misunderstandings, the
operating an exit, being reseated next to a passenger who is recommendations say.
likely to require help evacuating the airplane, helping
passengers use an evacuation slide or an over-wing exit, and Information used during America West’s recurrent training
directing passengers away from the airplane after they have describes a number of scenarios, including scenarios in which
reached the bottom of the slide or have exited through a door. a cabin crewmember is uninjured, able to perform his or her
duties and requires assistance from ABPs in holding back other
TerBush said that in addition to those tasks, her airline often passengers while crewmembers assess conditions and
assigns ABPs (known at American as passenger assistants) as determine how to proceed with the evacuation. In these
“buddies” to help other passengers who have difficulty walking situations, ABPs typically are asked to help passengers off the
or to accompany minors traveling alone. evacuation slides or to gather passengers into a group a safe
distance from the airplane.
If a flight crew has ditched an airplane, cabin crewmembers
also assign ABPs to assist in preparing rafts for deployment. Other scenarios include those in which a cabin crewmember
is injured and unable to perform his or her duties. In these
In any emergency, if an ABP fails to perform the task requested situations, ABPs typically must move the cabin crewmember,
by the cabin crewmember, the crewmember “says ‘thank you’ assess conditions outside the airplane and take command of
and grabs somebody else,” Claussen said. the evacuation.

“There are no guarantees,” she said. “You can never be 100 In some emergencies, cabin crewmembers do not have time to
percent sure how anybody is going to react in an emergency prepare ABPs for their role. In those situations, the approach
until it happens.” might be to “grab the closest person and say, ‘you — when
you get to the bottom [of the evacuation slide], hold the slide,’”
For example, some passengers may try to take control of the Claussen said.
situation; others may, for a variety of reasons, become reluctant
to perform tasks requested by cabin crewmembers. In emergencies that arise with minimal warning for cabin
crewmembers to conduct ABP briefings, passengers often assist
“If they even begin to hesitate, we replace them,” said Tim — without being asked — in any way they can, she said.
Patterson, manager of in-flight training for America West Airlines.8
Many aircraft accident reports include discussions of how
Training for America West’s cabin crewmembers includes a passengers have helped in evacuations, either following a cabin
discussion of the first question that crewmembers are expected crewmember’s directions or acting on their own.
to ask of a potential ABP (referred to by the airline as an able-
bodied assistant). If the question — “Are you willing to assist For example, a survival factors report10 accompanying the U.S.
me?” — is answered negatively, cabin crewmembers are to National Transportation Safety Board report on a June 1, 1999,
replace them immediately, the training material says.9 accident in which an American Airlines McDonnell Douglas
MD-82 overran the runway while landing at Little Rock
After ABPs are chosen, they often are relocated so that they (Arkansas, U.S.) National Airport includes numerous descriptions
will be better able to perform their designated tasks. The of passengers who helped other people leave the airplane.11
reseating process should not result in separation of families,
however, because if an evacuation were required, parents In the survival factors report, one passenger described how, as
probably would be more concerned with locating their children he crawled down the aisle in the first-class section of the airplane
than with evacuating the airplane. after the impact, he heard a woman asking for help.

Whenever possible, cabin crewmembers give ABPs detailed “She was under a luggage bin,” the report said. “He picked it up
briefings about the tasks they are being asked to perform, show and she was lying on the floor, faced down. She could not get
them the exit door where they will be assigned and use the up, so he moved the bin. He grabbed her arm, and they crawled
safety information card as they explain how the exit operates. out of the airplane together through a big hole in first class.”

2 FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION • CABIN CREW SAFETY • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2003

 Another man “went back into the cabin three or four times, cabin crew should maintain control over the ABPs providing
looking for passengers” who needed help, and a woman helped assistance, the guidance material said.16
a seatmate who had “a bad ankle,” the report said.
Two months after the 2001 hijackings, passengers on an
Passengers often have intervened — typically without being American Airlines Boeing 767 were credited with assisting cabin
designated as ABPs — to help crewmembers subdue disruptive crewmembers to subdue a man who tried to detonate bombs in
passengers. In one such incident, during a March 27, 2000, his shoes during a flight from Paris, France, to Miami, Florida,
Germania charter flight from Berlin, Germany, to the Canary U.S. Passengers and crewmembers overpowered the man, tied
Islands, a man entered the flight deck of the Boeing 707 and him to his seat and sedated him while the flight crew deviated
attacked the captain. Several passengers responded to the first to Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., where the man was arrested.17
officer’s request for help, subdued the man and removed him
from the flight deck.12 In a similar incident on Aug. 5, 1999, a Also in the aftermath of the 2001 hijackings, at least one
man tried to enter the flight deck of a Singapore Airlines Boeing company was created to train passengers about how to respond
747 en route from Los Angeles, California, U.S., to Tokyo, during emergencies.
Japan. He was restrained by passengers and flight attendants.
Later, the man tried to open an emergency exit; again, he was “It’s important that passengers be aware of how to assist the
restrained by passengers and flight attendants.13,14 crew,” said Don Detrich, founder and CEO of Flight Watch
America, which provides “defensive flying” training on what
Patterson said that passenger offers of assistance have become to expect in the event of an emergency evacuation or an aircraft
more frequent since the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackings in the United decompression, as well as incidents involving disruptive
States of four airplanes that were flown into buildings in New passengers or hijackers.18
York, New York, and near Washington, D.C., and into the
ground near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. All four airplanes were “We’re trying to make people more capable travelers,” Detrich
destroyed; 265 people in the airplanes were killed. said. “But the flight attendants should be the leaders in these
situations because they’ve had more training.”
Gary Thompson, general manager–health and safety, in-flight
services at Delta Air Lines, said that, regardless of the situation, About 700 people have taken the course, Detrich said.
cabin crewmembers look for the same types of passengers to
serve as ABPs.15 Although they have become involved in recent years in
subduing disruptive passengers, ABPs more often have been
“For most of my career … we instructed our flight attendants to asked to help cabin crewmembers in emergency evacuations
look for military [personnel] or law enforcement officers and, of aircraft and related emergencies.
in the case of a medical emergency, to request the assistance of
medical professionals,” Thompson said. “A few years ago, when “In every investigation of an accident, you find there were
disruptive passengers became more of a problem, our focus passengers helping in some way, shape or form,” TerBush said.
expanded to include who might be able to help us in a disruptive- “Most people want to help.”♦
passenger situation. Basically, the same criteria for selection
were used, so it made it easy to tell our flight attendants to expand
the scenarios that might require help. After 9/11 [the Sept. 11, Notes
2001, hijackings], the importance of using all available resources
on the airplane became paramount.” 1. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Training Manual: Cabin Attendants’ Safety Training, Doc.
Typically, flight attendants do not expect to receive ABP 7192-AN/857 Part E-1. Second edition. Montreal, Quebec,
assistance from air marshals, who are assigned for security Canada. 1996.
purposes to some flights in some countries and are responsible
2. Global Aviation Information Network (GAIN). Cabin
for preventing a terrorist takeover of an airplane.
Safety Compendium. December 2001. This document,
the GAIN Overview and the Operator’s Flight Safety
“The air marshals’ jobs hinge on their being anonymous,”
Handbook have been produced on compact disc by
Claussen said. “One line of thought is that a problem involving,
Flight Safety Foundation for distribution to all its
for example, someone who appeared to be an intoxicated
members.
passenger might actually be a situation staged as a distraction
by terrorists trying to take over an aircraft.” 3. Rice, Susan. E-mail communication with Werfelman,
Linda. Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Jan. 31, 2003. Flight
After the 2001 hijackings, ICAO prepared guidance material Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
that said that, during an attempted hijacking, ABPs could be
asked to help the cabin crew by blocking access to the flight 4. Claussen, Nancy. Telephone interviews and e-mail
deck and restraining an aggressor. During such situations, the communication with Werfelman, Linda. Alexandria,

FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION • CABIN CREW SAFETY • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2003 3

 Virginia, U.S. July 25, 2002; Jan. 27, 2003. Flight Safety the airport area, and the crew’s failure to ensure that the
Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. spoilers had extended after touchdown.”
5. Ciepielewski, Luis Claudio. E-mail communication with 12. Cubin, Ken. Cockpit Intrusions. <http://64.39.20.32/
Werfelman, Linda. Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Feb. 7, 2003. articles/intrusions>. Feb. 7, 2003.
Flight Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
13. Ng, Valerie. “Blame Airlines, Say Staff and Crew.” The
6. TerBush, Nanette. Telephone interview by Werfelman, Straits Times (Singapore). Page 10–11. July 30, 2000.
Linda. Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Feb. 3, 2003. Flight
Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. 14. “Air Rage on SIA Flight.” The Straits Times (Singapore).
Page 59. Aug. 7, 1999.
7. ICAO.
15. Thompson, Gary. E-mail communication with Werfelman,
8. Patterson, Tim. Telephone interview and e-mail
Linda. Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Feb. 7, 2003. Flight
communication with Werfelman, Linda. Alexandria,
Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Virginia, U.S. Jan. 27, 2003; Feb. 5, 2003. Flight Safety
Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. 16. Cooper, Denise. ICAO External Relations and Public
9. America West Airlines. Recurrent Instructor’s Guide Information Office. E-mail communication with
— 2003: InFlight Training. Werfelman, Linda. Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Feb. 5, 2003.
Flight Safety Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
10. U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Survival
Factors Group Chairman’s Factual Report. Dec. 1, 1999. 17. Ferdinand, Pamela. “Would-be Shoe Bomber Gets Life
Term.” The Washington (D.C., U.S.) Post. Page A1. Jan.
11. NTSB. Runway Overrun During Landing, American 31, 2003. The man, Richard Reid, was sentenced Jan. 30,
Airlines Flight 1420, McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N215AA, 2003, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Little Rock, Arkansas, June 1, 1999. The airplane was Authorities said that Reid had enough explosives in his
destroyed. Eleven of the 145 people in the airplane were shoes to blast a hole in the fuselage of the airplane.
killed and 110 people were injured. The report said that the
probable causes of the accident were “the flight crew’s failure 18. Detrich, Don. Telephone interview by Werfelman, Linda.
to discontinue the approach when severe thunderstorms and Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Feb. 7, 2003. Flight Safety
their associated hazards to flight operations had moved into Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.

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4 FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION • CABIN CREW SAFETY • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2003