Southwest Airlines says it will end its cabin service early on its flights starting next month.
Starting Dec. 4, a company spokesperson said, flight attendants will begin preparing the cabin for landing at an altitude of 18,000 feet instead of 10,000 feet. The change in procedure aims to “reduce the risk of injury due to in-flight turbulence” for crew members and passengers, the company said.
For passengers, this means they will have to complete the usual pre-landing procedures – such as making sure their seat belt is fastened and returning their seat to the upright position – sooner than before.
Although deaths linked to turbulence are quite rare, injuries have accumulated over the years. More than a third of all aviation incidents in the United States between 2009 and 2018 were related to turbulence, and most of them resulted in one or more serious injuries but no damage to the aircraft, reported the National Transportation Safety Board.
In May, a 73-year-old man died on board a Singapore Airlines flight when the plane encountered severe turbulence above the Indian Ocean.
The airline had also previously announced other changes.
From next year, South-West will throw away a tradition of half a century “open seats”: passengers choose their own seat after boarding the plane.
