The concern related to cabin crew missing essential safety information concerning the flight they were due to depart on when they were removed from the pre-flight briefing to complete paperwork. The reporter also raised concerns regarding not being able to get an approval in a timely manner to bring their own food on the flight when they do not have specific medical requirements.
The reporter expressed a safety concern regarding cabin crew members being asked to leave or miss pre-flight briefings for various tasks, leading to missing vital flight information in the briefings.
The reporter advised that they were asked to miss the pre-flight briefing to fill in an order form for uniform while the pre-flight briefing was being conducted. They advised that they missed important flight information such as:
- operational safety changes
- major aircraft differences
- emergency access codes
- working position allocations
- special handling passengers
- flight and weather information and
- slip port security warning
The reporter also advised that cabin crew members who do not have a medical reason for special dietary requirements are not permitted to order special crew meals, for example vegetarian meals, but are also not permitted, without an approval, to take a lunch box to work. These approvals are not being approved in a timely manner which means that these crew members cannot get the nutrition required to remain alert towards the end of their long international flights.
The reporter also advised that the operator allows supervisors to allocate briefing time for non-flight related issues to occur before a long haul flight, often taking the total duty time to in excess of 12 hours. This has the potential to compromise the cabin crew member’s ability to concentrate towards the end of the flight.
No cabin crew incident reports have been received reporting that cabin crew had missed a pre-flight briefing in the last 12 months.
There is no regulatory requirement to conduct a pre-flight briefing for cabin crew. We have developed this briefing as an additional resource to assist the consolidation of required knowledge. Although this also develops increased crew cohesiveness and assists in approving crew resource management (CRM), it is not a requirement.
Pre-flight briefings are limited to 15 minutes for International departures and 7 minutes for domestic departures which meets the precision timing schedule requirements.
Cabin crew are required to read all Cabin Standing Orders, which is the approved method of communicating operational safety changes to all cabin crew. The pre-flight briefing provides additional opportunity for individual crew members to further discuss (if needed) these changes.
Issues relating to crew meal options:
Although not guaranteed on all flights, we do provide a vegetable-inspired meal option as part of the cabin crew meals on international flights.
Cabin crew are not permitted to carry, either on their person or in their carry-on baggage, items such as hip flasks or other resealable containers specifically designed for the carriage of liquids which have the original seal broken. Cabin crew are required to seek written approval from cabin crew management to carry resealable containers.
Crew rest breaks
EBA requirements are followed in the distribution of crew rest breaks on International flights:
PART 1:
19.8 Rest breaks within operating flight duty periods
- 19.8.1 An employee must not work more than six hours from the commencement of an operating flight duty period without commencing a rest break of 20 minutes, such rest break to be included in the duty period. For every additional four hours of operating flight duty following the first six hours the employee must commence a further rest break of 20 minutes, such rest break to be included in the duty period.
PART 2:
12.3 Rest breaks within operating flight duty periods
- 12.3.2 As far as practicable, an employee should not work more than six hours from the commencement of an operating flight duty period without commencing a rest break of 20 minutes, such rest break to be included in the duty period. For every additional four hours of operating flight duty following the first six hours the employee should commence a further rest break of 20 minutes, such rest break to be included in the duty period.
Cabin crew must not operate if fatigue is known (or projected) to affect judgement or performance to the extent that safety may be impaired. If cabin crew report unfit for duty due to fatigue then they must be released from duty.
All cabin crew management, scheduling and allocations teams are trained to the same level of knowledge in the fatigue risk management policy as cabin crew.
CASA has reviewed the REPCON. While the operator's response is satisfactory, CASA will draw the operator's attention to the relevant sections of their Operations Manual and the requirement of Civil Aviation Regulation 215 (9).