United Airlines will require cabins to be prepared for landing earlier in order to protect cabin crew from injuries. Starting December 1, flight attendants will have to be belted at their jumpseats, prepared for landing, at around 10,000 feet when the double chime sounds.
An internal memo shared shared by Live And Let’s Fly explains the move,
This new standard operating procedure (SOP) was developed by the collaborative hard work of multiple departments, including Inflight, Flight Operations, AFA, ALPA, Corporate Safety and was approved by the highest levels of United leadership. United conducted Line Operations Safety Assessments (LOSA) with the help of AFA and ALPA. This included pilots observing turbulence SOPs in the flight deck and flight attendants in the forward and aft cabins. These observation narratives and other data were analyzed to help create our new SOP.
At lower flight altitudes, the pilots are conducting approach maneuvers and aircraft sensor data has shown an elevated risk for turbulence. Flight attendants have sustained significant injuries in the final approach phase of flight, and data indicates a higher risk when they are not buckled in at this point. Simply put, it’s not safe to be up. The goal of this new procedure is to reduce flight attendant low altitude injuries.
This change requires final passthroughs of the cabin earlier. The final “please prepare for landing announcement” will come prior to United aircraft descending to 10,000 feet so that crew can finish their duties and be seated by the time the plane hits 10,000. For customers this means,
- cabin service will end earlier
- beverages will be collected earlier
- seats will have to be placed in their upright and locked position earlier
- carry on bags and personal items will have to be stowed earlier
For awhile I used a convertible notebook instead of my more traditional ultraportable laptop. I don’t care about using a tablet most of the time. The only reason I liked my Lenovo Yoga was so that I could move into tablet mode during takeoff and landing when you’re supposed to have laptops stowed.
I frequently want to eke out every last minute of productivity from my flights. Even though the size was probably larger than it should have been to continue use, when converted into a tablet that’s the mental bucket crewmembers always put it in and none ever asked me to put it away.
I’ve been back to a Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon, and while noting that not all crew enforce laptops away, I always put it away when asked to do so and then just switch to my phone. I don’t like the idea of putting the laptop away earlier than necessary. Here it won’t be for landing as much as ‘earlier so that flight attendants see it’s away before they themselves sit down’. Notably, other carriers do not see a similar safety issue.
I especially don’t like the idea of putting my laptop away earlier on a United flight, because those are my least productive flights. Internet on United is generally worse than on Delta, JetBlue, American, Alaska – and even Southwest.
Wonder how many United Elites will claim a status match with American or Delta and switch to them over this.
I expect the new SOP to require flight attendants to immediately stand up and begin service once the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet on the departure climb.
The surly United FAs like and encourage this because it’s less time working for them. If they had their way we’d have our seat backs up and tray tables stowed the entire flight. Creative way to spin them doing less work.
Crew injuries are a hot topic right now. I won’t be surprised at all if the other airline follow.
Thanks for the heads up
Will the FAs go back to doing a proper Polaris and transcon meal service
I don’t like I don’t like. Oh well fly another airline.
What a joke. Looking for any excuse they can to save $ on catering and allow more lazy FA’s to sit around in the galley staring at their phones.
My kids tell me laptops are so boomer and not cool at all. Evidently, everything you think you need a laptop for you can do on your phone. Some even tell me you don’t need a phone either, all you really need is a smart watch.
Who cares. Only sad OPM flyers have to work on their laptops in the air.
Lazy in flight waitresses being lazy again.
In order to protect FAs from actual work, more like.
I have found that convertible laptops from both Dell and HP don’t usually flag US airline flight attendants when in the laptop mode for takeoff and landing although many foreign carriers don’t even allow a Microsoft Surface which is even lighter and smaller. The Surface is small enough that there is zero risk of it being damaged if someone in front reclines w/o warning.
As for using a laptop vs. a phone or smart watch, some of us don’t really like to read off of tiny screens – such as for Kindle – or watch video content on tiny screens. Part of the reason why younger generations only communicate in short phrases rather than real sentences is because of the devices which they use.
on a related note, I have noted that Southwest FAs are getting up sooner and working more throughout the flight after many of them found excuses not to serve for the past 2 years. US airlines are being more aggressive w/ the seatbelt sign but some airlines are also telling flight attendants not to simply sit on their duff even if the flight is reduced to just a water service.
In the year 2028, we will prefer this than the airlines’ new policy of charging passengers to take out computers from their bags during the flight. Basic economy won’t allow it but paid first class will.
An enhancement.
This is another way to trim back service in the name of safety. It’s a bunch of BS, no different then the service cutbacks made by hotels post COVID. The level of service on domestic carriers compared to international counterparts just keep getting worse.
Calls on ActivisionBlizzard stock. Candy Crush revenue is going up.
Meh, wait until they make their final cabin swing and buckle in. Take out laptop to work. Not like they are going to out in the effort to houst themselves up to check.
Besides, they are on their own phones.
Any kids that say laptops are passe has never had to carry a major photo editing software. Good luck loading that on your Apple watch. LMAO
As it is now, there’s always some moron who stows his laptop when asked then as soon as the FA’s are seated and belted in, out it comes again! I’ve observed some still working until we cross the threshold. The same with seat recline. Up it goes at the walkthru, then reclined it goes 30 seconds later. While this policy sounds fine on paper, reality is that scofflaws will not follow it anyway!
Anyone that needs to use a laptop for the extra 5 minutes probably needs to revisit their life choices. this is very good for FA safety.
Nobody will listen and it won’t matter – flew into IAH last week, pilot warned of turbulent approach and told FAs to go ahead and be seated, seat belt signs on, passengers seated, etc. It was really noticeably bumpy, even to this jaded frequent flyer – I counted 6 announcements over about 15 minutes telling people in increasingly frustrated tones to please return to their seats. One pax in Polaris almost fell down when we hit a bump and I couldn’t help but find it a bit amusing. If they had hurt themselves they’d be ready to sue United.
I’m still feeling like the majors are in a Covid fog. They make these things up as they go along. This is just dumb.
All the people hating on the FA’s saying they’re lazy are the same people who you wonder when the last time they saw their pecker is.
FA’s are not waitresses, they are safety personnel, who happen to bring you a drink or meal occasionally. They don’t get paid for actual work they do before the boarding door closes (though, that’s changed a bit, but is still a problem). Them taking their seats before 10K feet is just smart. Most turbulence is during approach and departure below 15K feet.
Alaska switched to this several months back too. It’s something the union is pushing.
So nice to see these comments where passengers don’t give a darn about FAs getting injured. I wish you could see some of the injuries I and my colleagues have sustained during that final walkthrough below 10,000…
Maybe if you didn’t sit on your ass till 35k ft then everyone would have their meals, drinks and the rest sorted by getting back down to 10k but you’re happy to not do your job till as late as poss. And NO your job is to serve pax NOT just the US airlines BS of only being there for our safety.
You wanna bleeding heart then go ahead but you’ll be called out for your excuses not to provide service as well melia
-I’ve gotta add my 2 cents here. Initial approach (final seatbelt sign on, final trash pickup, etc) is about 20 mins before arrival. This new announcement will be 15 mins before arrival as opposed to 10 mins. I’m curious as to why this is such a big deal.
-To Clayton, who is never present during the captain’s briefing when they say “stay seated until I call you”, has no idea how things work.
-All in all, if compliance checks didn’t take sometimes 10 minutes to get everything in order (since so many people ignore or can’t hear announcements and need personal invitations), this wouldn’t even be necessary.
@EWR2TXL, thanks for a voice of reason. Yep, there are those folks who just can’t seem to take ‘no’ for an answer and in their entitled specialness they make it harder for the rest of us. If those elite souls would just do as they were told, when they were told, and not procrasticnate, then the FAs would be able to complete their final tour quickly and get seated at 10K feet.
Seriously, I wonder how many of these readers have ever flown in the cockpit of an aircraft. Do they think they know better than the pilots?
And about boomers using laptops: photo editing, design, graphic layout, spreadsheets, etc require a computer and not a smartwatch or smartphone. But the GenZ’s and Alphas can’t imagine it, because they are too busy watching TikTok and trying their hardest to avoid any kind of labor whatsoever.
If you have to do office work 20 minutes before the flight lands, you need a new job. Sometimes, people just need to sit down, relax, breathe, and not open a screen. The world will not end and no one will even know. We don’t have to be working every time our eyes are open.
Coming from Australia where this appears to be standard for decades now, it’s not a massive issue and ends up being safer all round
Will the credit card pitch now also come earlier?
The ones complaining are the ones that behave little toddlers on the flights. Working on aviations starting to feel like baby sitting a day care. Grow up!
Protect laziness and promoting it. Lazy fa will hide with the rule. What’s mrdd
I can’t believe there’s so many nasty comments. Next time you have to get out of a burning upside down plane, hopefully your attitudes will change.
If ignorance is bliss, then the majority of people commenting on this topic must be ecstatic.
“Notably, other carriers do not see a similar safety issue.“
Wrong. My airline changed last month. 18k, “Flight attendants prepare for arrival.” 10k, “Be seated for landing.”
Our FAs should risk injury or death so you can type yet another false sentence and suck down the last ounce of a drink? Some of you all have forgotten that your inability to afford private air travel subjects you to FAA and company safety measures. Your comments about FAs are telling.
When other carriers adopt this policy please follow up and report.
I am just surprised Gary did not manage to find a way to blame this on either AA or its FA’s he so much despises.
@Mac – no safety issue, not no similar requirement.
Just when you think they can’t make it worse, they do. I remember the days when this happened on final approach when the landing gear came down. The no smoking sign also came on at this time. About 3 minutes before touch down
Sounds reasonable. I’ve routinely seen FAs bumped around by turbulence or aircraft maneuvers while finishing their duties at lower altitudes. Those on here saying the motivation of FAs is to do less work highlights a common theme amongst vierers on this website: Elitism and indifference to the employment conditions of those who serve them.
Oh, and Gary Neff just outed him as an Elitist uncerned with the working conditions of those who serve him
I meant: Gary Leff just outed himself as an Elitist unconcerned with the working conditions of those who serve him.
Some United FA miss the Covid days when there were only one or two passengers per plane, with no food, no service, and everyone was masked and gloved.
Has nothing to do with turbulence. That can happen at anytime. It’s just that they want LESS WORKING TIME.
Wow.
One of the things I enjoy when visiting the USA is how polite and respectful most people are to each other.
The comments on this article show just how superficial that is.
The rudeness shown here to cabin crew, and the total disregard for their safety, is shocking.
Shameful.
Good grief. You are complaining about a few minutes, as though you are really doing something important at 10K feet and below. Your failure to prepare doesn’t constitute an emergency and safety of others.
Logic: If one is less productive on a United flight because of inferior wi-fi, then one has less to lose by stowing one’s tech sooner on United than on another airline.
Just like a prison with the police looking at you.
A good way to see how many self-serving SOB’s read this blog. Get over yourselves. You are not important.
Y’all need to reevaluate. Just take a minute and relax.
Everyone complaining about Flight Attendant being lazy, are they lazy when they make sure that your heart doesn’t stop while you’re having a heart attack in the air. Are the Flight Attendant’s lazy when they make sure that you’re still breathing when you pass out ? The months of training flight attendants go through is not to pass you a Coke or food it is to make sure that you don’t die. The day your flight attendant have to do their actual job is the worst day of your life..