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News.com.au
28-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Qantas promises staff safety overhaul following turbulence event that injured cabin crew
Qantas has promised to step up its staff safety procedures following a shock turbulence event that injured three cabin crew. The incident happened on descent into Brisbane Airport during a Sydney to Brisbane flight in early May. About 36km out from the airport, the aircraft experienced unexpected and severe turbulence, with three cabin crew unrestrained as the plane started shaking. Two crew members received minor injuries, including a facial injury and concussion, while a third was seriously injured with a fractured ankle, an ATSB report into the event released this week has revealed. 'The ATSB found that the captain did not inform the cabin crew about the expected turbulence during descent, likely due to not being aware of its severity,' the safety agency said. The turbulence event was then followed by a communication breakdown between different parts of the cabin, with the pilot landing the plane despite three crew members and a passenger still unrestrained. 'Following the turbulence, the captain instructed all passengers and crew to return to their seats and fasten seatbelts. 'However, two cabin crew and two passengers remained unrestrained in the rear galley to assist the seriously injured crew member during landing,' the report states. 'When the flight crew were informed of this, the captain repeated the instruction that everyone besides the injured crew member was to return to their seats for landing. 'Assuming the cabin would be secured after the repeated instruction, the flight crew proceeded with the landing, unaware that four crew and passengers remained unrestrained.' The aircraft, a narrow body twin-engine Boeing 737-800, was fitted with a weather radar system that detects and locates precipitation bearing clouds on the flight path, giving pilot a visual indication in colour of a cloud's intensity. 'The captain did not recall identifying areas of turbulence on the weather radar on descent or report that they were experiencing any difficulties operating the weather radar,' the report states. On descent, the captain observed 'an approaching cumulus cloud' along the flight path but determined it did not pose an immediate hazard based on a visual assessment and the lack of radar indications, the report found. 'As a result, the captain did not perform the 'turbulence' PA, which would have prompted the cabin crew to immediately secure themselves in the nearest seat or wedge themselves in the aisle to prepare for the turbulence encounter.' After the event, a crew member who suffered an undiagnosed concussion then worked on subsequent flights. The ATSB said Qantas 'lacked a procedure to ensure cabin crew fitness was assessed after a significant injury'. 'This increased the risk that a crew member could continue to operate while being unfit for duty,' the report states. In response to the investigation, Qantas said it would overhaul its medical assessments processes, 'regardless of visible impact'. 'Following an internal investigation, we promptly expanded our Group-wide medical escalation and post-incident medical assessment processes, ensuring all crew on-board a flight are assessed following an incident, regardless of visible impact,' a Qantas spokeswoman told NewsWire. The investigation drew on information from the captain of the flight, the customer service manager, the R2 primary cabin crew member, Qantas, Qantas' safety manager, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Bureau of Meteorology for its report.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
Southwest Airlines to require portable chargers be kept out while in use due to battery fire concerns
Passengers on Southwest Airlines flights will soon be required to keep their portable chargers in plain sight while using them due to concerns about the growing number of lithium-ion battery fires in a new policy that other airlines may adopt. The Dallas-based airline announced the new policy that will go into effect on May 28 and said passengers may have already seen notifications about the rule when using the airline's app. There is growing concern about lithium-ion battery fires on planes because the number of incidents continues to grow yearly, and devices powered by those batteries are ubiquitous. There have already been 19 incidents involving the batteries this year, following last year's record high of 89, according to Federal Aviation Administration statistics. The incidents have more than doubled since the pandemic-era low of 39 in 2020, and have climbed annually. Some research suggests that portable chargers might be the second-leading cause of battery fires on planes, only behind electronic cigarettes. Compared to the roughly 180,000 flights U.S. airlines operate each week, the number of incidents is still relatively small and lithium batteries can overheat anywhere. However, it is a growing concern for the airlines. "It's definitely a serious risk," said David Wroth, who studies the risks for UL Standards & Engagement and works with 37 airlines and battery manufacturers to minimize them. At least a couple of airlines UL is working with are reevaluating the risks associated with rechargeable batteries, so additional rule changes could be coming. Asian airlines enforce same rule While Southwest is the first U.S. airline to restrict the use of portable lithium-ion chargers, several Asian airlines took action earlier this year after a devastating fire aboard an Air Busan plane waiting to take off from an airport in South Korea in January. In the Korean airline fire in January, all 176 people aboard the plane had to be evacuated because the blaze burned through the plane's roof. The cause of that fire hasn't been officially determined, but several airlines and Korean regulators took action against portable chargers afterward. Korean airlines won't allow the chargers to be stored in overhead bins anymore; they must either be packed in a plastic bag or have their ports covered with insulating tape to keep them from touching metal. In addition, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways both prohibit the use or charging of portable power banks at all during flights. Officials want passengers to be responsible about packing Last summer, a smoking laptop in a passenger's bag led to the evacuation of a plane awaiting takeoff at San Francisco International Airport. In 2023, a flight from Dallas to Orlando, Florida, made an emergency landing in Jacksonville, Florida, after a battery caught fire in an overhead bin. Southwest said that requiring these chargers to be kept out in the open when they are being used will help because "in the rare event a lithium battery overheats or catches fire, quick access is critical and keeping power banks in plain sight allow for faster intervention and helps protect everyone onboard." Experts have long recommended keeping rechargeable devices in reach during flights so they can be monitored for any signs of problems like becoming too hot to touch or starting to bulge or smoke. But the airlines have to rely on educating consumers and encouraging them to take precautions. "Ultimately, it comes down to a lot of personal responsibility that we as passengers have to take," Wroth said. Southwest will allow the chargers to be stored inside carry-on bags when they aren't in use. But a spokeswoman said the airline is just alerting customers about the policy before their flight and asking for their compliance. Wroth said that approach is probably best. "We have enough problems with unruly passengers already. And having cabin crew confront somebody over bringing something on board is not likely to be a good situation as well," Wroth said. The Transportation Security Administration has long prohibited e-cigarettes and chargers and power banks with lithium-ion batteries in checked bags, but allows them in carry-on bags. The rule exists precisely because fires in the cargo hold might be harder to detect and extinguish. The FAA recommends passengers keep cell phones and other devices nearby on planes so they can access them quickly. The agency said flight crews are trained to recognize and respond to lithium battery fires. Passengers should notify the flight crew immediately if their lithium battery or device is overheating, expanding, smoking or burning. The latest research from UL Standards & Engagement said that data from 2024 suggests that portable chargers were to blame in 19% of the incidents, though that was only slightly ahead of the number of cell phone incidents. E-cigarettes accounted for 28% of the problems. Nearly one-third of all passengers carried portable chargers on flights last year. More than one-quarter of passengers surveyed last year said they put vaping cigarettes and portable chargers in checked bags. That is against federal rules, but Wroth said it might be as much an issue of them not understanding the dangers as much as it is passengers trying to hide the devices.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'It's just not worth it': The US travellers afraid to travel abroad right now
Declining trust in airline safety, a rise in US citizens being detained when reentering the country and growing anti-American sentiment abroad have some rethinking their summer travels. Travelling abroad used to barely faze Mary S. The American marketing professional estimates she would cross the border twice a year from her southern Arizona home to visit Los Algodones, Mexico nearby. She was also planning on attending a conference this summer in Canada to escape the Southwest US's sweltering heat. But after watching the sweeping new policies enacted by US President Donald Trump over the last three months and a notable rise in US citizens and permanent residents being detained when attempting to re-enter the country, she's having second thoughts. "There's no way I'm going anywhere near an airport or border crossing," she said. While Mary said that some of her trepidation is about the recent spate of air control tower staffing issues and near-misses, she's more worried about potential retaliation from her social media posts criticising the Trump administration, and is afraid of being harassed at border crossings. (She requested we not use her full name for the same reasons.) These worries might have once seemed outlandish, but last week Twitch streamer Hasan Piker – who is known for his criticism of Trump and his pro-Gaza policies – was reportedly detained for hours by federal agents at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after returning from France. Though eventually released, Piker said he was questioned about his views on the Middle East in an interrogation room and asked"Do you like Donald Trump?" In response, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security posted a statement on social media saying that the interaction was "a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply for any traveler". Other high-profile incidents involving the detention of US citizens have some people " freaked out" by the idea of international travel. Pair that with many Americans losing faith in air travel safety following a spate of recent airplane crashes and anti-American sentiment rising in Europe and Canada, and some Americans are putting their international travel plans on hold – if not outright cancelling their trips. While she says the majority of her clients continue to book and take trips as usual, travel advisor Tamara Lidbom of Anytime Travel Agency has seen some changes. "Lawful permanent residents who are worried they will not be allowed to re-enter the United States based on changing immigration enforcement are just cancelling trips," she said. "They have decided it is safer to vacation in the United States and avoid the potential risks associated with leaving the country and attempting to re-enter." Boutique tour operator JayWay Travel has also seen a noticeable slowdown in demand from American travellers compared to last year, but the decline isn't only about flight safety or detention fears. "Economic uncertainty and the declining US dollar [which hit a three-year low against the euro last month following Trump's tariff rollout] are definitely factors," says Charlie Neville, the company's marketing director. Are flight fears overblown? Still, airplane safety is top of mind for many travellers, as Newark Airport in New Jersey, in particular, has faced mounting problems. Last week, the airport experienced its third system outage in less than two weeks, leaving controllers unable to communicate with pilots for up to 30 seconds, and reports continue to flood in that the control room is severely understaffed. Though the airport has a target of 14 controllers, only three were monitoring airspace last Monday. Despite recent headlines, air travel in the US continues to be one of the safest modes of transportation. National Transportation Safety Board data shows fatal aviation accidents in 2025 to be below the three-year average for the same period. Yet, conversations about aviation safety have been widely covered in US media, adding to the perceived threat. According to news and intelligence agency Storyful, aviation incident discussions on social media have skyrocketed, up 243% on X accounts based in the US and 71% on Reddit compared to early 2024. That has also translated to more posts about flying anxiety, up 72% on X accounts based in the US and 22% on Reddit compared to early 2024. More like this: • How Trump's sweeping new policies could change travel • 'A hostile state': Why some travellers are avoiding the US • The US island that speaks Elizabethan English "Safety in travel has become a daily conversation lately, as a travel advisor specialising in European travel and a wife to a commercial airline pilot," said Sarah Magnoni, owner of Harmony Travel Collective. "Nearly all of my clients have inquired about safety. In 2024, I received virtually no questions on airline safety." While Magnoni has advised her clients to avoid Newark airport in the near future if possible to avoid delays and cancellations, overall she feels confident about airline safety. "Commercial airline pilots aren't striking or refusing to fly at this time. That tells us everything we need to know about aviation safety right now," she said. Andrew Coggins, a clinical professor of management at Pace University in New York who specialises in the travel industry, also thinks Americans won't necessarily skip out on flights due to safety, even if they end up routing domestically versus internationally. "The FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] woes are discounted by Americans booking flights since [US travellers don't] have much choice outside of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor if one wants to get somewhere fast," he said. "Newark's woes will have a greater effect on future bookings than near-term reservations, since changing airports/flights might involve considerable additional expense." Coggins recently booked a flight to the UK, and was surprised that the flight was completely full. Even though he's been flying to the UK since 1969, the country's new visa requirement came as a shock (even though he said it was easy to do online). Many frequent US travellers also complained that changing visa requirements in foreign countries are causing them to reconsider international trips in an already anxious summer travel season. 'A wake-up call for the US government' For Magnoni, more of her American clients are also inquiring about how they may be perceived abroad in light of more nations issuing travel warnings to the US and greater calls to boycott travel to the US. For the countries she specialises in – Ireland and Scotland – Magnoni says Americans should have no problems at all. "They're very welcoming to Americans and take pride in showcasing their countries, histories and cultures," she said. "Their tourism boards are very welcoming and ready for American travellers." In fact, those looking for a bargain may do well to keep their European holiday plans this summer. "This may be one of the best times in years to visit Europe: fewer crowds, more availability and great airfare deals – especially out of European cities," said Neville. "Other than in Rome, we're expecting significantly lighter crowds across Europe this summer. While we're not seeing mass cancellations, we are noticing fewer inquiries and more indecisiveness. It feels a lot like summer 2022, when international travel was just starting to rebound." Coggins still expects a busy summer travel season, but since it's just the start of the season, the tales of border crossing woes may just be beginning. That said, he still believes the greatest impact of changing policies and border crossing fears will impact international visitors here, rather than Americans going abroad. "I think the tales of tourists' encounters with Homeland Security may have a greater effect on summer inbound tourism than Americans' worries over FAA safety or border crossing," he said. So far, that belief is backed up by the data. According to the US International Trade Administration, overnight visitors from Western Europe declined by 17% in March 2025 compared to the same time last year. Overall foreign arrivals were down 12% – the sharpest dip since the pandemic recovery began, according to JayWay. Perhaps most telling: according to a report published last week by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the US is on track to lose $12.5bn (£9.4bn) in international travel spending this year. "This is a wake-up call for the US government," the WTTC's President and CEO Julia Simpson said in the report. "The world's biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the US government is putting up the 'closed' sign." Skift's recent reserach report, The Trump Effect: Skift Travel Health Index Market Analysis, quantified the lag further. The report found that overall travel dipped 2% in March, particularly from Canada, where flight bookings fell 22% and hotel bookings dropped 34% following a spike in bilateral tensions. France, Italy, Mexico and Brazil are also seeing declines. US alternatives Americans staying home this summer may provide a buffer to the travel and tourism sector. Skift's report found that US domestic travel activity has remained nearly flat year-on-year. The report theorises that the weakening dollar may also keep Americans at home, with an uptick in particular to drive-to destinations. Many US destinations are taking note. Vail, Colorado, one of the US's most popular ski resorts and home to a Tyrolean-style village, is currently marketing itself as providing the charm of a European holiday without visitors having to fly across the pond. It's also promoting its support for public lands even among federal budget and staffing cuts. Jesse Neugarten, founder and CEO of Dollar Flight Club, suggests dupes like Santa Fe, New Mexico as a stateside stand-in for Spain; Sedona, Arizona for Morocco; and the Florida Keys instead of international beach vacations. "These destinations offer similar vibes without the long-haul flights or price tags," he said. According to Alex Alioto, head of growth at vacation rental firm Whimstay, many US travellers seem keen to stay in the US this summer and explore destinations relatively close to home. "We've been seeing a lot of inner-state bookings in the US, so people from California travelling within California, Texans traveling within Texas. Not only is domestic travel leading over international, but people aren't venturing outside of state lines." One such person is American traveller Emily Dreilich. Though she had her heart set on travelling to Bolivia this summer, she decided to cancel and remain stateside. "The combination of increased reports of flight disruptions, border control unpredictability and just this general tension in the air right now is what really made me stop and rethink," Dreilich said. "When that anxiety gets high enough to mess with your trip from day one, it's just not worth it, especially if your vacation is short. When you only get one trip a year, you're not being paranoid for wanting a smooth entry and exit." -- If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week. For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
South China Morning Post
07-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Asia-Pacific air passengers unaware of lithium battery risks, poll finds
Despite several high-profile incidents, travellers in the Asia-Pacific area routinely bring devices powered by lithium-ion batteries on flights and still have little understanding of the potential risks, a poll has found. Advertisement The survey indicated that a quarter of respondents reported storing these batteries in their checked luggage, and alarmingly, 28 per cent admitted to having no knowledge about the associated dangers. However, 76 per cent of passengers said that an airline's battery safety measures would likely influence their decisions when booking future flights, while 69 per cent were willing to pay more for a typical domestic flight if it included enhanced battery safety protocols aimed at reducing the risk of thermal runaway events. Conducted by the standards development organisation UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) between February 25 and March 20, the survey polled 3,478 travellers from 10 Asia-Pacific countries. It found that 88 per cent travelled with smartphones, 42 per cent with laptops, and 43 per cent with power banks. Despite the widespread presence of these devices, only 29 per cent of respondents correctly identified which personal electronic devices were powered by lithium-ion batteries, while 28 per cent confessed to knowing nothing about them. Advertisement The poll also revealed that 24 per cent of passengers reported storing spare rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in checked luggage, while 22 per cent did the same with power banks. Both practices violate aviation regulations.
