‘Certify us!’ Cabin crew want skills recognition

6 December 2004

Airline cabin crews will call tomorrow for a standard certificate that gives proper recognition of the vital skills their jobs demand. They will be making the case that it’s time to ‘close the security loop’ by licensing cabin crew in the same way as pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers and ground crew.

On 7 December representatives of the quarter of a million cabin crew in over 100 countries affiliated to international trade union federation the ITF will seek to explain to policy makers and the traveling public the need for recognition, respect and proof of ability.

ITF General Secretary David Cockroft explained the ITF’s message: “It’s not just safety belts that protect passengers. Crew members now manage hundreds of safety features on aircraft. In an accident it’s the cabin crew who carry out the safety procedures, and have to manage any kind of terrorist or air rage incident alone. Security rules say the cockpit door must remain locked. That makes the crew in the cabin the last line of defence. This was graphically illustrated by the case of shoe bomber Richard Reid.” (See case study at end of media pack).

“The more cabin crew’s crucial role is recognised the better they will be able to carry it out. Cabin crew members can make the difference between life and death. They are trained to protect you. Now they want to prove it.”

The following are some of the events taking place tomorrow in support of the campaign for cabin crew licensing:

• The ITF’s European regional wing the ETF will be lobbying the EU Transport Council of Ministers before its meeting on 9 and 10 December to adopt a resolution establishing a common licence across the European Union. An ETF press release on the call for a common European standard can be seen from tomorrow AM on the campaign homepage.
  
• Belgian union the BBTK SETCa will be distributing leaflets and press information in the main entrance hall of Zaventem airport. A delegation will meet the Belgian Minister of Transport at 11.00.
  
• Members of Suomen Lentoemäntä- ja Stuerttiyhdistys Ry, the Finnish cabin crew union, will be wearing badges on flights and lobbying Finnish MPs.
  
• Cabin crew members of French trade union the SNPNC will demonstrate in front of the Ministry of Transport before calling on the cabin crew of French airlines to strike on December 9 and 10 to coincide with the meeting of the Council of European Ministers of Transport. For press releases (in French) see www.snpnc.org/actualites.tpl and open the dossier Licence europeenne PNC.
  
• Swiss cabin crew union Kapers will hand over a charter to the Director of the Federal Office of Civil Aviation, the Swiss Transport Minister and the CEO of Swiss International Air Lines, among others.

The ITF has produced a poster to support its campaign for cabin crew licensing. If you would like this as an illustration you can download it from the campaign homepage or receive it on request from dawson_sam@itf.org.uk.

ENDS

Press Pack

What is the campaign about?

All cabin crew are trained. But not all cabin crew are licensed.

Some countries, including France and the United States, do license their cabin crew. But many others do not.

The ITF has campaigned for recognition of cabin crew as safety professionals over several years. Because of the recent heightened security awareness in the airline industry and subsequent changes to in-flight procedures, the ITF believes that recognition of the cabin crew safety critical role is more important now than ever before.

As a result, as part of its overall Campaign for safety and security in the transport industry, the ITF is calling for the worldwide introduction of cabin crew licensing.

The ITF is campaigning for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to require licensing on a universal basis, but for countries to specify the details and, of course, to provide safety oversight to ensure compliance.

The ITF is also pressing for the introduction of licensing, country by country.

It is for affiliates locally to decide how national demands should be presented.

However, the ITF is encouraging every affiliate to join in making international demands by calling for governments to support further action at ICAO. This means meeting with Ministers and government representatives on (or as close as possible to) the Worldwide Day of Action, 7 December.

Questions and Answers

Which countries have cabin crew licensing and which do not?

Argentina, Chile , Czech Republic , Denmark , Finland , France, Italy, Mauritius, Norway, Spain, Thailand and the United States have a cabin crew licence.

Australia, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland and the United Kingdom do not.

Are you saying that unlicensed cabin crew aren’t safe?

No, we are not. Cabin crew receive extensive safety training, and now, in the post September 11th world, are required to act as security personnel in the aircraft cabin . What ITF unions are asking for is recognition of this fact. While training institutions are regulated, where licensing is absent, there is no regulatory recognition of an individuals’ training portfolio.

The ITF believes strongly that in the airline industry, certification should apply to the parts (aircraft), the provider (training centres and repair stations) and the personnel. Where cabin crew are not licensed, the final piece of the safety triangle, personnel, remains vulnerable.

In a worldwide survey of trade unions representing cabin crew all respondents indicated that they believed that “certification of cabin crew would result in an improvement in passenger safety, security and survivability”.

What difference will this make to passengers?

Survivability in airline accidents is rising, and in these situations, it is cabin crew who implement safety procedures. Access to the flight deck is now blocked to anyone in the cabin, so if there is an incident on board, cabin crew deal with it. Cabin crew themselves agree they feel recognised as safety professionals where licensing is in place – and this can affect the authority they have in doing this safety critical job. The more this is recognised by national and international authorities, employers and passengers, the better they will be at fulfilling this role – whether dealing with a security problem, an accident scenario or a case of air rage.

With licensing, training will be improved because currently carriers may be granted waivers, which allow them to skip or ‘water down’ crucial safety training. Licensing can provide a level playing field for all training. When certified, cabin crew should receive the same level of training, regardless of the whims of their carriers. It can ensure currency and consistency.

How would licensing work?

An international requirement for cabin crew licensing would mean each country’s aviation authority regulating the issue and the periodic renewal of cabin crew licences, in accordance with recurrent training requirements.

Won’t this be too expensive? Who will pay for it?

The costs of this system would be borne by airlines and also by national authorities. Although there are expenses implicit in introducing licences, these expenses are minimal in the context of overall state budgets and airline running costs. And it is clear that there will be benefits that are likely to outweigh these costs.

We believe that the cost implications are absolutely negligible - for many airlines and training bodies nothing more than the price of the certificate that confirms satisfactory completion of existing training courses. Half of all ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) member states already issue a cabin crew licence.

For example, where there is no licensing, if an experienced cabin crewmember is laid off or chooses to work for another airline, she/he must start training from scratch at the new airline. With certification, cabin crew would be licensed in their medical, security and safety roles to work on specific types of aircraft, regardless of the carrier. Airlines could potentially save money by hiring seasoned professionals who only need a one to two day recurrent training rather than the initial three to eight week training. They would also be able to tell at a glance which types of aircraft personnel have been trained to operate.

Another benefits for airlines is that it gives them a competitive advantage, as passengers feel more reassured by their responsible approach to cabin crew safety professionalism.

Why are you working with women’s groups on this campaign?

Aviation inspectors, air traffic controllers, training institutions, pilots, maintenance personnel and the aircraft itself, are all certified. Where cabin crew are not, they become a weak link in the safety oversight chain. It is not a coincidence that cabin crew is an area where women’s employment is strong. Work that women do is often undervalued – and in this case, the safety professional role is undervalued, because employers tend to put so much emphasis on the so-called “female” service components of the job.

Case study

American Airlines Flight 63, December 22, 2001

American Airlines Flight 63 was about 30,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean on December 22, 2001, en route from Paris to Miami, Florida, when passenger Richard Reid began acting strangely. Reid was assigned to an aisle seat near the middle of the aircraft, but he moved to an empty window seat after takeoff - where a bomb could have caused greater damage. When he tried to set light to his shoe, a member of the cabin crew told him to put out the light. Reid resisted, was subdued by cabin crew and passengers and then sedated by a doctor on board the plane, which was diverted to Boston, Massachusetts, escorted by two F-15s. But the crew had discovered the explosive inside Reid's shoes - subsequently found to be TATP or triacetone triperoxide. The device was taken to the back of the plane and wrapped in blankets and pillows to help absorb a potential explosion. "We made sure no one came near it," said a cabin crew member. "There is no doubt that vigilance and swift action by the cabin crew on board this flight may well have prevented the loss of the entire aircraft”.

ENDS

For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733,
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871.
Email: mail@itf.org.uk

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