CBS News reports the airline will begin their final passthrough when the aircraft reaches 18,000 feet, instead of the standard 10,000 feet prior to landing.

 

Southwest Makes Move for Passenger and Crew Safety

According to the airline, the move is being made to protect passengers and crew members from turbulence-based injuries. This will effectively require passengers and crewmembers to prepare the cabin 10 minutes earlier than before, which includes returning seats to the upright position and stowing large electronics.

 

The airline told ABC News the move came as part of an agreement “between labor partners and safety teams,” amid new concerns about turbulence across the industry. In May 2024, a Singapore Airlines flyer was killed and many more were injured after a severe turbulence incident occurred aboard a Boeing 777-300ER.

 

The greater aviation industry is growing more concerned about turbulence and wants to set a goal of better tracking where it’s occurring around the world. At the IATA 2024 Annual General Meeting, safety and security leaders for the industry organization said they are looking to track at least 150 million data points by the end of the year. The goal is to better inform their turbulence tracking product, Turbulence Aware, to better track where turbulence is happening and helping airlines avoid it, ensuring better safety for aircraft, passengers, and crew members.

 

In the meantime, Southwest Airlines is the first U.S.-based carrier to make cabin preparations earlier than before. None of the other major carriers have announced changes to their pre-landing preparations.

 

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Source: frugal travel guy